Plans to Improve Public Safety
Who we are and what we do
We answer and coordinate responses for 911 services for 17 local public safety agencies for all of Kittitas County, including fire, emergency medical service (EMS), police, search and rescue and disaster responses. We serve Kittitas County residents (population nearly 50,000) as well as the many visitors, guests, and travelers who come to the county for recreational opportunities: sightseeing, hunting, snowshoeing, boating, hiking, skiing, camping, kayaking, canoeing, and river floating. Seasonal and weekend visitors can triple and, at times, quadruple our population.
We respond to more than 48,000 calls for 911 services every year.
How we fund 911 service
We are funded through a fee on cell phones and user agency fees paid for through local property taxes. User agency fees increased by 50 percent in the last three years. When local emergency user agencies pay more in fees, it reduces the amount they have for their daily operations, such as emergency personnel, ambulances, and fire engines. This is not a sustainable funding source for the 911 system or user agencies.
Our 911 system requires upgrades to improve public safety
More people living and visiting our county are straining our outdated and aging 911 system. The aging system requires upgrades to radios and towers for police, fire, and EMS to be able to effectively communicate and coordinate responses to emergency calls.
We do not have reliable communication signals in the following areas:
- Cle Elum River Valley, including Suncadia and Yakima River recreational areas
- Alpine and cross-country ski areas
- Rural schools and homes
- Many of the new residential and recreational developments in the county
We have several locations throughout the county where our radios cannot get a signal and we are unable to communicate with first responders. These “radio holes” impact response times, patient care, wildland fire suppression, and rescue operations.
How do we plan to improve public safety?
Our goal is to develop a sustainable funding source for 911 that relies on more than just full-time Kittitas residents. Twenty percent of property owners receive mail outside of Kittitas County. Seasonal and weekend visitors can triple if not quadruple our population. Approximately 33,000 vehicles pass through Kittitas County every day on Interstate 90 for food, fuel, and lodging.
That’s why KITTCOM is asking voters for a two-tenths of 1% sales tax increase (two cents per $10 sale) to fund the 911 system. Sales tax funding is a fair way to fund emergency response because it also applies to vehicles passing through, visitors and second homeowners who buy goods and services in Kittitas County.
In 2022, visitor spending in Kittitas County totaled $311 million. This spending included recreational supplies, food and beverages, gas, car rentals and bus fares, and retail sales. Hotel stays through June 2023 totaled 258,125 rooms rented – 80% of hotel guests are out-of-towners.
Sales tax would provide a sustainable funding source for 911
Funding 911 through higher local agency user fees paid for through local property taxes is not sustainable. It impacts their ability to fund daily operations that full-time residents require. A $0.02 (two cents per $10 purchase) sales tax increase would provide a sustainable revenue stream for our 911 system and apply to visitors and people who come to recreate or pass through the county on I-90.
This revenue would be used to fund radio equipment, communication towers, technology improvements, security and other critical infrastructure, and maintenance costs.
We will keep this page updated as new information becomes available.
If you have any questions, please contact KITTCOM at [email protected].
Presentation Available
Interim Director Rich Elliot welcomes the opportunity to provide a brief presentation to local groups about the countywide 911 communications system and public safety sales tax on the April 23 ballot. If you’d like to schedule a presentation with Q&A, please email [email protected] or call at 509-925-8530.
KITTCOM is asking voters to consider a sales tax measure on the April 23, 2024, special election ballot– April 15, 2024
Local News Coverage
Guest Commentary: Kittitas County 911 measure would plug ‘radio holes’– Yakima Hearld- Republic- April 6, 2024
Radio holes” cause dispatchers to call first responders by phone in Kittitas County -Nonstop Local (NBC Right Now) – April 4, 2024
Proposed sales tax to support needed KITTCOM 911 upgrades on the April ballot– Apple Valley News- March 4, 2024
A look inside of Kittcom’s aging 911 system – KIMATV – January 18, 2024
Kittitas County voters to vote on KittCom tax measure in April 2024 – KIMATV – December 19, 2023
Kittitas County commissioners to hold public hearing on 911 communications – Nonstop Local (NBC Right Now) – December 13, 2023
Commissioners to hold public hearing on possible funding proposition for Kittcom – Nonstop Local (NBC Right Now) – December 13, 2023
Letter: Kittitas County’s emergency system needs a rescue – Yakima Herald-Republic – December 6, 2023
Public Notice Kittitas County – Daily Record News – December 6, 2023
KITTCOM hopeful to address woes with new equipment – Nonstop Local (NBC Right Now) – November 21, 2023
Outdated 911 system hampers emergency response in Kittitas County – KIMA – November 17, 2023
KITTCOM 911 services struggles to keep the public safe with outdated equipment – Nonstop Local (NBC Right Now) – November 15, 2023
Kittitas County 911 struggles to efficiently respond to emergencies with outdated systems – Nonstop Local (NBC Right Now) – November 14, 2023
Kittitas County 911 struggles to efficiently respond to emergencies with outdated systems – Fox 11/41 Yakima – November 14, 2023
Media Releases
KITTCOM is asking voters to consider a sales tax measure on the April 23, 2024, special election ballot– April 15, 2024
Community invited to learn more about sales tax to improve public safety– April 1, 2024
County Commissioners pass ballot resolution to improve public safety – January 5, 2024
County Commissioners to hold public hearing to consider proposition for emergency communication systems and facilities funds – December 7, 2023
Kittitas County 911 system facing challenges to public safety – November 14, 2023
More Information
On March 28 at around 8 pm, KITTCOM experienced a loss of connection with the radio site serving Vantage, Columbia River, and the surrounding areas of Kittitas County. Personnel determined the power-related event could not be recovered remotely. Due to the site’s remote location, technicians were unable to respond until the next day. Upon their arrival, technicians found that the battery backup system had failed due to its age, resulting in critical equipment malfunction. Fortunately, technicians were able to restore service by purchasing batteries from a local auto parts store.
This is just one of many examples of the fragility of KITTCOM’s radio and communications infrastructure. These outages impact response times, patient care, wildland fire suppression, and rescue operations.
KITTCOM is asking voters for a small sales tax in the April special election to improve and provide sustainable funding for the countywide 911 system.
Here are examples of situations where we experienced difficulties with our radio communications and/or our radios failed:
