South Sound 911 occupies a unified, regional 911 communications center in Tacoma, Washington, which serves communities and public safety responders countywide.
Nearly 10 years in the making, including two years of construction, South Sound 911’s grand opening was Oct. 25, 2021.
Design
South Sound 911’s 74,528 sq. ft. facility houses 911 and police and fire dispatch, a municipal emergency operations center (EOC), administration, technology, records and public counter services. It was constructed to meet National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) standards for essential facilities. It is designed to withstand natural or man-made catastrophic events so South Sound 911 may continue providing critical emergency services for first responders and the countywide community.
Designed by an architectural team led by CallisonRTKL, the vision for South Sound 911’s facility was unveiled to the public at a community meeting on Aug. 22, 2018.
While some aspects of the building are more traditional in design, such as the offices and administrative space, some aspects of the building require more open space, such as the communications center.
Architects drew inspiration from many sources, including museums, where there is a need for large spaces, controlled lighting, and typically do not have many windows. Acoustical engineers provided insight on ways to help control sound, so the critical work of answering 911 calls and dispatching responders will not be burdened by unwanted environmental noise.
For the exterior, designers used a mix of materials including insulated metal panels, vertical seam metal panels, precast concrete, ipe wood, and metal canopies and railings.
Financing
Voters in Pierce County approved Proposition 1, a 0.1 percent sales tax increase, in November 2011 to fund the consolidation and collocation of 911 centers in the county, including the construction of a new facilitly for South Sound 911.
The project is funded by the issuance of limited tax general obligation bonds, as decreed in Pierce County Ordinance 2019-46. Since South Sound 911 does not have the taxing authority to collect tax money, Pierce County collects the sales tax revenue and distributes it to South Sound 911 (less any debt for bonds). The collected sales tax serves as the “security or payment mechanism” for any bonds issued by the County on South Sound 911’s behalf. Even though South Sound 911 may use the tax revenue for other purposes (such as operations, radio access fee support, etc.), the first priority is the payment of any debt for radio capital and facility capital.
Originally estimated to cost $65 million to construct, the South Sound 911’s facility cost $59 million. Bond proceeds to support the reduced budget of $59 million were received by Pierce County on Sept. 25, 2019.
Backup Facility
A stand-alone backup facility will be available in the event South Sound 911 is unable to operate in its primary communications center due to a natural or other disaster.
The facility planning study identified local options for a backup site, and in late 2016 the same consultant reviewed the current options and recommended that South Sound 911 retain its former law enforcement communications center as the back-up facility. In January 2017, South Sound 911’s governing body approved the recommended back-up facility.