On behalf of all of the member agencies who rely on the emergency communications system, we are thankful to the voters of Washington County for their support of the Emergency Communications Bond Measure as part of the May Primary Election this year. This critical system is used 24-hours a day, 365 days a year by every law enforcement, fire and rescue, and ambulance service provider countywide. The equipment and facilities improvements that will be paid for through these bond funds will help first responders throughout Washington County to be as effective as possible when assisting the public during emergencies.
We are also thankful for how the voters of Clackamas County responded to a similar measure in their county. The two systems are linked to provide effective radio service across a major portion of the greater Portland metropolitan area. The Washington County and Clackamas County bond measures were timed to coordinate upgrades in a manner that optimizes system efficiency and effectiveness.
Moving forward, we plan to work together with the 19 member agencies of the Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency – also known as the 9-1-1 dispatch center – to ensure that we use these bond funds exactly as the voters have authorized. By leveraging off of the current low-interest-rate environment, we will coordinate with the County so that, together, we can transition our system and strengthen our facilities over the next three to five years. We plan to keep the public informed about these activities as we move forward.
Again, we are thankful to the voters for supporting the improvements needed to keep this critical communications system functioning in the years ahead.
Kelly Dutra
Director
Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCCA)
