This page is for information only. If you have an emergency, call or text 911. If you already called 911 or the non-emergency line (253-287-4455) and were instructed to file a report online, please use our online reporting system.
Communications
South Sound 911 Communications employees are highly trained professionals who collectively work to support the answering nearly a million calls and approximately 3,800 texts-to-911 each year, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for 35 local police and fire agencies in Pierce County.
When you call 911, a call taker answers your call. At South Sound 911 these positions are referred to as a telecommunicator (TC) or communication support officer (CSO). A TC answers incoming emergency 911 calls or non-emergency calls, while a CSO is dedicated to the handling of non-emergency calls.
While you are on the line, the TC/CSO relays relevant information to a law enforcement or fire dispatcher who communicates with responders in the field. Dispatchers provide responders with information they need in order to act on your call for assistance. Data dispatchers also work closely with patrol units to confirm warrants, coordinate impounds, and perform various searches to provide assistance.
No doubt about it, from the call to the response, it is a well-oiled and modern public safety system utilizing computer-aided dispatch (CAD) to facilitate communications between the call taker, dispatcher, and responders, as well as through VHF, 700 MHz and 800 MHz radio.
[For callers in the City of Tacoma, South Sound 911’s staff works with the communications center operated by the Tacoma Fire Department. The Tacoma Fire Department provides fire/EMS call handling and dispatch for the cities of Tacoma, Fife, Fircrest, and Ruston. Fire/EMS calls received by South Sound 911 in those cities are transferred to the Tacoma Fire Department.]
Tools You Can Use
There are several resources available should you need to contact 911 in an emergency:
- Text-to-911 is available for the Deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled, or for times when you cannot speak during the emergency — either due to a medical event or if talking to 911 would escalate the situation.
- what3words can be used to find a cell phone’s location within 3 meters, anywhere in the world! South Sound 911 staff can receive what3words information to help get a better location for you during a 911 call.
Requesting Copies of 911 Calls
State law requires that South Sound 911 keep recordings of 911 calls for 90 days. The public may request copies of specific 911 calls by submitting a Public Records Request, though currently South Sound 911 only provides these records for its partner law enforcement agencies. For copies of fire/EMS 911 audio or reports, please contact the relevant fire department.