RiverCom 911 Gets Approval to Plan New Facility

As 911 calls climb and RiverCom nears the end of its $1-a-year lease with Wenatchee, the region’s dispatch center is racing to plan a new facility to keep emergency services running smoothly.

Executive Director Doug Jones said the dispatch agency received approval from the state's Project Review Committee for RiverCom to meet with a contractor to draft plans for a new facility before the agency secures funding.

RiverCom 911 Gets Approval to Begin Design Phase

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"It allows us to go all the way through the design phase, so we can design the building with the builder's input," Jones said. "When we do get the funding, and we are anticipating getting it, we can go right into the build phase and not worry about any delays because we have the design complete and the blueprints."

READ MORE: RiverCom 911 Faces Expansion Crisis

Rising Call Volume Strains Current Dispatch Center

In July, RiverCom reported calls to the agency increased 15 percent since 2020. The increase placed strain on the systems and their workers. Jones said a new facility would allow RiverCom to increase staffing and upgrade its 911 systems to the next generation.

RiverCom is currently situated in the Wenatchee Police Department building.

Lease Agreement with Wenatchee Nearing Expiration

When RiverCom first situated itself in the WPD building, Jones said it committed a lot of money to building the facility on the third floor, allowing the valley to receive calls and dispatch emergency responders for nearly two dozen police, fire, and EMS agencies across Chelan and Douglas counties. In exchange, the City of Wenatchee drafted an agreement to allow RiverCom to stay for $1 a year. However, the end date of the agreement is approaching.

"That agreement was up two years ago, and the city said we'll extend you for another five years," Jones said. "At the end of the five years, it's not going to be a dollar a year anymore."

Technology and Power Limitations Drive Facility Need

The need for the new facility comes from staffing increases, infrastructure restraints, as the building did not have plans for a 911 center in mind when the city initially built it, and power constraints.

"I'm told by our engineers here that the day we moved in there wasn't enough power for us, so 20 years later, we're still struggling with power and things like that to run our equipment," Jones said. "Certainly, as we get more technology and see more of what we call 'Next Gen 911,' those technologies require more robust infrastructure in networking and power."

Funding Still Needed Before Construction Can Begin

Jones said RiverCom does have a "significant amount" of capital funds to start the project, but the Board of Directors is searching for other sources of funding to close the gap. The agency recently applied for a state grant to fund the project worth $13 million but did not receive it. Jones said RiverCom received support from U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell and hopes she will help the agency at the federal level.

RiverCom Eyes 2027 Construction, 2029 Move-In

Once the agency receives the funding necessary, which Jones hopes will come next year, RiverCom hopes to start construction in 2027 and move in before May 2029 - the end date of the current lease agreement with the city.