Enhanced 911 program
Get Information On...
- Internet/Broadband Phone
- E-911 Public Education
- E-911 Training Programs for Call Takers
- 9-1-1 and Wireless
- 9-1-1 During an Area-wide Emergencies
The E-911 Program Office administers the regional emergency 9-1-1 telephone system in King County. The system covers the entire county, including all incorporated cities and unincorporated areas. There are 13 different 9-1-1 centers in the system that answer 9-1-1 calls. The 9-1-1 calls from the wireline telephones are selectively routed to the correct 9-1-1 center based on the address of the caller. 9-1-1 calls are first routed to the police 9-1-1 center, and then may be transferred to a different fire/emergency medical 9-1-1 center if these services are needed. In addition, the telephone's subscriber and address information are displayed on the call taker's screen at the 9-1-1 center. In situations where the caller is unable to give their location, like when the caller is a child or a very ill person, emergency personnel can still respond to the caller's location using this information.
Many 9-1-1 calls are made from wireless phones. Approximately 1.8 million 9-1-1
calls are answered in King County each year. Of theses calls, 803,000 (about 46
percent) are made from wireless phones. King County has worked with all
the wireless carriers who offer service here to implement Phase I and Phase II
Enhanced 9-1-1 service for wireless 9-1-1 callers. This service provides the
telephone number of the wireless phone, and the location of the cell site that
processed the 9-1-1 call. In addition, technology has been implemented to
determine the location of the 9-1-1 caller, and to display the location on a
map at the 9-1-1 center. Some wireless carriers have implemented a network
solution, where special equipment has been added to their network to determine
the location of the caller. In this case, all wireless phones accessing that
carrier's network will be located. Other carriers have implemented a system
that uses GPS chips in the wireless phones to determine location. In this case,
wireless phone users will not be located unless they have purchased a new
wireless phone that is equipped with the GPS chip for 9-1-1. Wireless phone
users should contact their wireless carrier to determine which system their
carrier uses.
Related Links
- Washington State Emergency Management Division (EMD)
- Washington State EMD Enhanced 9-1-1 (E911) Unit
- National Emergency Number Association (NENA)
- Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, International (APCO)
- Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Contact information:
Web | www.metrokc.gov/prepare/E911/ | ||
Call | 206-296-3910 (TTY 711) | ||
Fax | 206-296-3909 | ||
Address | King County Office of Emergency Management | ||
E-911 Program Office | |||
Seattle, Washington | |||
Program Manager: Marlys Davis | |||
E-911 Program Assistant: Milla Zinski | |||
PSAP Network Administrator: Jim Bowman | |||
PSAP Mapping Administrator: Khalid Khan | |||
PSAP Mapping Analyst: Evelyn Torres | |||
Administrator I: Liza Zamudio | |||
Office hours: 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. |
For emergencies call 9-1-1. For non-emergencies
call your local police or fire department.