Leaders from emergency response agencies throughout Lewis County gathered Friday for the first official step in efforts to reform the county’s beleaguered 911 communications system.
Twenty-eight police, fire and EMS officials assembled at Lewis County Fire District 8 in Salkum for a meeting that was mostly informational in nature, but marked a milestone in long-running efforts to give first responders a bigger voice in 911 operations.
“Your input is critical to the direction we go in the future,” said Steve Mansfield, Lewis County’s director of emergency services. “It will be listened to. … When we make decisions, the decisions need to be driven back to this group. This is where the influence and the power will come from.
The Friday afternoon meeting was the first official forum following the ratification of a new interlocal agreement between the Lewis County 911 Communications Center and the agencies it serves.