South Sound 911 headed to November ballot

The Pierce County Council voted 5-2 on Tuesday, July 26, to ask voters in November to establish a seamless, more efficient emergency communications system that improves safety for every resident and first responder. The measure would appear on the Nov. 8 General Election ballot. If voters approve the funding, a new agency called South Sound 911 will be created to update and improve critical communications equipment for participating law enforcement and fire agencies, particularly in light of looming federal mandates.

Shortly after Pierce County Council voted on the measure, the DuPont City Council was given a presentation about South Sound 911 by deputy Pierce County executive Kevin Phelps, and Lakewood city manager Andrew Neiditz. The presentation took place during the DuPont City Council meeting.

Neiditz gave an overview of circumstances that are driving the push for South Sound 911, stating that there are regional issues with the emergency communication system.

“I wish I could tell you that officers at the Lakewood Police Department and Pierce County Sheriff’s office can communicate with each other 100 percent of the time. But we can’t. There are major gaps in service today, but we have an opportunity to fix those gaps with South Sound 911,” said Neiditz.

In a press release issued by Pierce County, Pierce County Sheriff Paul Pastor compares the current radio system to Swiss cheese.

“I compare our current radio system to a piece of Swiss cheese: there are areas of Pierce County that are ‘holes’ where we cannot send or receive radio transmissions,” Sheriff Paul Pastor said. “This proposal not only complies with the federal mandate, but it also eliminates the patchwork of radio systems around Pierce County that delays direct contact among first responders.”

During the DuPont City Council meeting, Phelps highlighted four events where poor or spotty radio communications played a role in the events that unfolded: the Eatonville shooting, the Clemmons manhunt, the Virginia Tech shooting and the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

“During the Eatonville shooting, Pierce County Sheriff’s office had spotty coverage. When the Clemmons manhunt was taking place, all the units that responded were operating on different frequencies,” he said. 

Phelps went on to describe the pitfalls old technology played during the Virginia Tech shootings.

“Friends and family of the victims knew more about where the shooting was taking place due to texts and photos being sent out to their loved ones. However police had no way of accepting that data as the equipment couldn’t handle it.” 

Then there was 9/11.

“We all know now that police and fire were on different frequencies. Police were telling people to vacate the World Trade Center buildings because they could see from their helicopters that the structures were failing. But at the same time, fire officials were running inside the buildings. They were on different frequencies and couldn’t communicate with each other,” said Phelps.

“We can create a better system that is more economical,” he said.

Among other things, South Sound 911 is designed to aid agencies in complying with Federal Communications Commission requirements that reduce the operating bandwidth for first responders nationwide by Jan. 1, 2013. That means new radios for some agencies, such as the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, and new software for others.

According to Phelps and Neiditz, the proposal also would replace three outdated dispatch centers – the Law Enforcement Support Agency and the two facilities operated by Tacoma Fire and West Pierce Fire and Rescue – with two new facilities (one each for police and fire).

“Our fire dispatch centers, which serve 99 percent of Pierce County, operate in buildings that were constructed in the 1920s and 1940s and cannot handle today’s technological needs,” said Ken Sharp, chief of West Pierce Fire and Rescue.

“South Sound 911 will enable us to improve response times by reducing call transfers, accommodate increasing call volumes as the population grows, and accept and distribute text messages, photo and video from witnesses,” said Sharp.

South Sound 911 would be funded by the existing Enhanced 911 tax (20 cents per line), an increase of 1/10 of 1 percent in the sales tax (1 penny on a $10 purchase) and agency fees and grants. The money would be bonded to pay for radios and two dispatch facilities, as well as contribute to the operating budget.

The following entities have signed the interlocal agreement that would set up governance of the new agency: Pierce County Executive’s Office, Pierce County Sheriff’s Department, Tacoma Police Department, Tacoma Fire Department, Lakewood Police Department and West Pierce Fire and Rescue. Including the communities that contract for services with those agencies, South Sound 911 directly affects 99 percent of commissioned fire fighters and 83.5 percent of commissioned law enforcement officers in Pierce County. Other agencies are invited to join at any time and increase the economies of scale.

After the presentation, the floor was opened for council members to ask questions. Councilman Larry Wilcox asked if consolidation of the 911 call centers would mean lost jobs.

 ”We’re trying to protect LESA employees, and we will do so as long as they meet the minimum standards,” answered Phelps.

Councilwoman Penny Coffey pointed out that DuPont has dead zones for both fire and police. Phelps said that South Sound 911 would address those problems along with other regional gaps the current system has. He mentioned that officials had already identified DuPont as a potential place for a new transmission tower, which would address the gaps in the current communications system.

“I believe we need to have a unified system. It would be in Lakewood’s best interest and I believe it would be in your best interest as well,” said Neiditz. “This is a great partnership with cities, towns and fire districts. This is a regional proposal and a way for us to collectively respond better to natural disasters such as large earthquakes, Mt. Rainier erupting or a potential terrorist attack. This is not Pierce County, as a government, imposing this system on you,” he said.

Questions about South Sound 911 can be emailed to kphelps@co.pierce.wa.us. A copy of the presentation given to DuPont City Council is available on their website.