911 Communications

911 Communications Center Please reserve 9-1-1 calls for EMERGENCIES so that people with real EMERGENCIES will be able to get through when they need to.

The Wasco County Sheriff operates the 911 Communications Center for all of Wasco County. The Communications Center is known as a PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) and receives all 9-1-1 calls from within Wasco County except for that portion of the county on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The Center also receives business calls for several emergency response agencies after normal business hours.

Once a 9-1-1 call, or other call for service, is received the appropriate agency is dispatched. Dispatchers must then follow the call through to completion. This may entail a request for additional equipment or manpower in the case of a fire, or completing driver's license inquiries for law enforcement. A crucial part of the job is accurate documentation of all communications, telephone and radio, that go through the center.

Newly hired dispatchers must attend a two week Basic Telecommunicator Class at the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training Academy in Salem. Additional training is required in the field of Emergency Medical Dispatch. Annual refresher training is also mandated. In addition to the classroom training, new dispatchers must complete on-the-job training with an experienced dispatcher. This usually takes about four months.

The Communications Center is staffed by nine full time dispatchers, two part time dispatchers and the Communications Center Manager.

Please reserve 9-1-1 calls for EMERGENCIES so that people with real EMERGENCIES will be able to get through when they need to. Thank you.