Why are we doing this study?
During the 2019-2020 Washington State legislative session, the legislature approved and the governor signed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1109 (ESHB 1109) - Operating Budget. Section 145-6 For the Military Department requires a report on the 911 system be provided to the appropriate legislative committees by Oct. 1, 2020 to include:
A) The actual cost per fiscal year for the state, including all political subdivisions, to operate and maintain the 911 system including, but not limited to:
- The ESInet;
- Call handling equipment;
- Personnel costs;
- Facility costs;
- Contractual costs;
- Administrative costs; and
- Legal fees.
B) The difference between the actual state and local costs and current state and local 911 funding.
C) Potential cost-savings and efficiencies through the:
- Consolidation of equipment;
- Regionalization of services or merging of facilities;
- Positive and negative impacts on the public;
- Legal or contractual restrictions; and
- Appropriate actions to alleviate these constraints.
What are we currently working on?
1. Determine boundaries and limits of the 911 system.
-> The personnel, equipment and activities that are encompassed
-> Call initiation to delivery of information to first responders
2. Identify all direct and indirect related costs to provide 911 services in Washington state.
3. Identify all funding resources that contribute to paying 911 services direct and indirect related costs.
4. Identify opportunities to reduce cost while continuing to provide resilient and reliable 911 services.
What will we be working on next?
5. Develop electronic data query templates.
6. Implement data repository tools.
7. Collect the data.
8. Sort, clean, analyze the data.
9. Draft E911 current state summary.
10. Compare best practices and benchmark with other states within the region
-> Like processes.
11. Develop process improvement and/or efficiency recommendations.
12. Start drafting the legislative report.
13. Project teams review / provide input / build consensus.
14. Identify laws, codes, regulations that may need new or revised language.
15. Full project team reviews final report draft.
16. Finalize the report.
17. Schedule legislative committee hearings.
18. Present report to appropriate legislative committees.
19. Use legislative feedback to develop next steps to implement recommendations.
Who is on the study team?
Sponsor: Bret D. Daugherty, The Adjutant General of the State of Washington
Project Lead: Adam R. Wasserman, Washington State Enhanced 911 Coordinator
Project Facilitator: Danni Colo, Project Analyst Pierce County Emergency Management
Executive Steering Committee: Legislators, Stakeholders, Partners
E911 Advisory Steering Team:
Joann Boggs, Pend Oreille County
Richard Kirton, Kitsap County
Angie Fode, Adams County
Brenda Cantu, Grays Harbor County
Jonathan Brock, Pierce County
Keith Flewelling, Thurston County
Project Team Members: All County 911 Coordinators
Work Groups: Operations, Technical, Governance/Policy, Financial & Data Analysis, Recommendations