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ABOUT
US |
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STAFFING
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Our 911
Center is currently authorized to staff one Director, one Operations Manager,
22
Emergency Dispatchers (three of which are Lead Dispatchers), and one
Secretary.
The administrative staff generally work a Monday through Friday, day shift schedule.
Our 911 Dispatchers work three 12-hour shifts and one
4-hour shift per week. The 12-hour shift is either 07:00-19:00 or
19:00-07:00. The 4-hour shift can be any one of the following
shifts (07:00-11:00; 11:00-15:00, 15:00-19:00; 19:00-23:00or
23:00-03:00). Dispatchers choose their shifts annually based on
seniority.
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MISSION
STATEMENT |
GOALS &
OBJECTIVES |
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To provide a
professional, efficient and consolidated public safety
communications center for processing 911 emergency and non-emergency
calls for emergency response agencies serving the citizens and
visitors of Cowlitz County. |
Strive to provide
the highest quality of service within the means provided.
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Provide staff training
using available resources.
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Deliver reliable,
timely and accurate services.
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Maintain open
communications between user agencies and the Communications
Center.
Remain fiscally
efficient and accountable.
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Seek outside funding
sources.
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Comply with Federal,
State and Local requirements.
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Continuously monitor
legislative actions.
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Maintain effective
personnel management/operations.
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HISTORY |
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The Beginning |
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The
Cowlitz County 911 Center was founded and began providing
consolidated 911 call answering and emergency dispatch service for
police, fire and emergency medical services in 1975. Cowlitz
County was one of the first of 39 counties in the state of
Washington to consolidate and provide 911 services. |
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Enhanced 911 Service |
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In 1994 Cowlitz County
began providing Enhanced 911 services. This enhanced service
provides name, address and telephone number information of the
calling party. It is a great tool that enables the 911
dispatchers to provide a greater level of service and enhances the
safety and welfare to the citizens of Cowlitz County. This
enhanced service is supported financially, in part, by an E911
Excise Tax imposed by County Ordinance #92-034, March 30, 1992.
The remaining funds supporting the Cowlitz County 911 Center
budget are provided by user agencies as determined by the
inter-local agreement finalized on December 29, 1999. |
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A
Major Renovation |
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In 1999 the Cowlitz
County 911 Center experienced a major equipment overhaul with the
replacement of all telephone and radio console equipment, bringing
the Center into the current-day technology. This equipment was
paid for entirely through a contract with the Sate E911 Office.
The total contract reimbursement for this project was for
$622,929. These contracted funds were provided from the State
E911 tax revenues collected from all telephone service customers.
The taxes that are collected are to assist counties with the
ever-increasing costs of operating, maintaining E911 centers
throughout the state (this does not include assistance for
staffing for counties with a population in excess of 75,000. |
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