As the sole 9-1-1 dispatch center in Tillamook County, we handle every call from residents and visitors dialing 9-1-1. These calls vary widely, from routine medical issues to major highway auto accidents, to off-road incidents like crashes or accidents in Tillamook State Forest, Sand Lake, beach rescues, search and rescues throughout our county, as well as boat accidents and water rescues along our extensive coastline.
Unfortunately, the public safety radio communications system we rely on to dispatch ambulance crews with Emergency Medical Technicians and Paramedics, sheriff’s deputies, police officers, and firefighters is outdated. With components that are 20 to 30 years old, this system lacks reliable countywide coverage, leaving certain areas with little to no coverage. As a result, while residents can still call 9-1-1 and speak to a dispatcher, there is a risk that the dispatcher may be unable to send emergency responders to the needed location or maintain communication with first responders in the field.
Our current system does not meet new state and federal standards and cannot communicate effectively with most of our response partners, including neighboring public safety agencies. This situation puts both our residents and first responders at risk. It’s common for first responders, especially those on the beach or in mountain valleys, to experience issues such as not hearing dispatch or not being heard by dispatch due to crackling audio and speech cutouts. These communication failures can lead to delays in response or issues arising from a lack of clear communication among key responders.
Moreover, the system’s unreliability forces first responders in the field to depend on 9-1-1 dispatchers to relay information between them. For example, if a sheriff’s deputy needs to communicate with a paramedic about ambulance response, a 9-1-1 dispatcher must act as the intermediary, relaying messages back and forth. This not only causes delays in response times but also occupies 9-1-1 dispatchers who could otherwise be addressing incoming calls from residents.
This has real-life consequences for public safety response in our county. During the emergency response to the 2023 Cape Meares homicide, both cell and radio service were severely compromised, making it difficult for dispatch to provide updates to units on the scene and other first responders due to coverage issues. They had to rely on the North County repeater despite being in Central County, causing delays in relaying information about locating the suspect due to communication problems with units over the mountain. Thankfully, law enforcement still managed to quickly apprehend the suspect despite these challenges. However, impaired communication between first responders puts the safety of both our residents and first responders at risk.
An independent assessment, funded by the county, determined that replacing the outdated system would be the best approach for ensuring consistent public safety response. The county is currently working to secure funding for a new system that would deliver an estimated 95% coverage for public safety users, far surpassing the current system’s coverage. This new system would provide consistent coverage and reliable communication across the county’s diverse terrain and remote areas—from the coast to the mountains, and along our extensive coastline. It would incorporate modern technological tools to enhance communication quality, improve connections with neighboring response partners, and reduce response times by decreasing the time it takes for first responders to receive necessary information.
The county has secured a $2 million grant for this new system and plans to place a bond measure on the November 2024 ballot for voter consideration to fund the remainder. I encourage Tillamook County residents to learn more about this critical public safety issue in the coming months.
John Spence
Tillamook 9-1-1
Technical Manager
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