Program Manager Update

We have  rounded third and made it home! The Platform portion of our modernization efforts is complete. The final PSAP completed final acceptance, thereby putting a wrap on this phase of the project.

Not too much time to celebrate however, as the final phase gains steam. We have completed the interviews with potential recorder vendors and finished updating the centralized logging recorder RFP, getting ready for re-release. With the re-work, we anticipate more submissions of higher quality; time will tell.

In preparation for World Cup 2026, we partnered with Seattle 911 to test the proof-of-concept for geofencing an area around Lumen Field for the purposes of better handling the expected call surge related to the events. The geofencing trial entailed drawing a map boundary around Lumen Field, then directing the 911 calls placed from within that boundary to a specific set of call takers.

I am happy to report that the trial was successful, and we will be able to implement within a fairly short period of time. Both Seattle 911 and University of Washington are considering using it for designated events.

Financial 

Summer vibes are here, and things are looking great!

Through May, revenue is $1.3M better than budget and $0.23M better than last year. Expenses remain well-managed, coming in under budget by $3.5M and $0.18M better than last year. Overall, financial performance continues to be strong and stable.

The County has returned to a biennial budgeting cycle for 2026–2027. The proposed agency budget has been submitted for Executive review and, upon approval, will advance to Council later this year. Key funding priorities include:

• Adjusting the PSAP excise tax in line with annual CPI growth
• Allocating funds to support preparations for the 2026 World Cup
• Advancing technology platform with innovative features and operational efficiencies

The next couple of years will be very exciting.

Life is divided into three terms - that which was, which is, and which will be. Let us learn from the past to profit by the present, and from the present, to live better in the future.

- William Wordsworth

Celebrating a Huge Milestone

The first half of the year wrapped, marking a huge milestone. All PSAPs have now been accepted, which concludes the implementation phase (Phase II) of the Platform Modernization Project!!

The system now transitions to the operational phase, and a new team has been stood up to track issues, monitor system performance, evaluate & schedule system updates, and implement system enhancements.

As the first step of this transition, the initial Quarterly Business Review (QBR) was held in April at the Kent Office. The QBR will be a vital component of the partnership between the Program Office and Intrado, with a report card reviewed each session and action plan developed for follow up. Next up for the project: Service Pack 4, IP admin line integration, Auto-assisted voice translation, and continued work to enhance system security features. Though the formal implementation phase has been completed, the work never ends!

Additionally on the technical front, the team will be working with the State 911 network provider to update the wireless call routing rules, whereby all wireless 911 calls will be directed to the proper geographic PSAP. We anticipate that this change will result in fewer call transfers and overall better service to the public.

Who You Gonna Call??

Not Ghostbusters

911/988/211

In our ever-changing world, with many resources to find information and receive help, it can be tricky for someone to navigate which number they should call.

Since the 1960s, the public have been able to dial 911 and receive police, fire, and medical help and since then, 911 has become the ‘catch-all’ for emergency, crisis, and ‘I need some help but not sure what help’ situations. To relieve some of the burden placed on 911, the national number 211 was established in the early 2000s. This number is a place for the public to go to receive community information and referral services.

As the social landscape changed, the need for a crisis number became more and more apparent, with a large percentage of the calls coming into 911 having a mental health nexus. While most law enforcement agencies train their officers on mental health and crisis situations, having a police officer present for a non-violent mental health situation can be excessive and unnecessary.

In 2022, this sparked the creation of 988, a national number that would combine resources like the LGBTQ+ Hotline, VA Hotline, National Suicide Hotline, and mental health services into one number that was accessible across the country. This number would allow people in crisis to connect with local resources and for emergency services to focus on calls with an immediate threat to the public.

Here in Washington state, 911 and 988 have made efforts to combine in a way that would benefit the community with several communication centers piloting a shared virtual space to allow better collaboration between 911 and 988 operators. The beauty of the 911 and 988 collaboration is that if a caller calls one but, based on the situation, it seems like they need the other, the call takers can seamlessly transfer the caller to the right number for them to receive help.

Since both 911 and 988 are promoted as resources for handling crisis situations, it can be unclear which number to call when facing a mental health emergency—either for yourself or someone else. A good rule to remember is; if someone is an immediate threat to harm themselves or others, call 911. If someone is feeling mental health complications but has no immediate plans to harm themselves or others, 988 can be the better option. However, when in doubt, dial 911 first and they can triage based on their emergency criteria.

To summarize:

911 is for in-progress emergencies.

988 is for mental health crisis situations that do not pose an immediate threat of harm.

211 is for community resources and referrals to basic services like shelters, food banks, and health clinics.

The Program Office welcomes Sarah Lawson as the team's newest 911 Education Coordinator.

Sarah has been in public safety for the last 10 years. She previously worked as a call taker at Valley Communications Center while completing her undergraduate degree in Forensic Psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology. She lived abroad in the UK while pursuing her Masters in Applied Criminology and when she returned to the states, she worked as a case manager for homeless youth and victims of sex trafficking at Youthcare.

Most recently, Sarah worked as a Crime Prevention Coordinator with the Seattle Police Department, focusing on north east Seattle. She comes to the team with experience in safety education, safety program development, and as an advocate for emergency services training and improvement among the public.

Sarah enjoys her down time with family and friends and loves to travel, especially road trips. Sarah loves to get crafty with knitting, crochet, sewing, and any other creative endeavor you can think of. She moved to Washington 10 years ago from Jacksonville, Florida and absolutely loves the PNW (and the weather).

She is very excited to be a part of the King County 911 team and looks forward to collaborating with the 911 community and the public around safety education.