[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6133077,"mediaKeyId","5705827-0e30928927da8b3c55c7bc2784dbe69f","parentId",5705827,"title","Dispatch leaders report CAD upgrade, AI rollout and call-volume data; send two staff to mental-health retreat","audioSeconds",288,"startMs",482000,"endMs",770000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5705827-0e30928927da8b3c55c7bc2784dbe69f&start=482&end=770","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5705827-0e30928927da8b3c55c7bc2784dbe69f/thumbnail_482000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6133077/Columbia-County/Washington/Dispatch-leaders-report-CAD-upgrade-AI-rollout-and-call-volume-data-send-two-staff-to-mental-health-retreat","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6133077-a4a1827c19cde9b094ef0118ac51200b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447583&Signature=UZezHFCJQMSn2ZnJysMBuUyzVnnW1got96p8eNBO-jB4upLLME8OdOttz66vICynZX-a6SkUhJLYJmPPvCUEESitQEbLUlI-Hrw6HvP8KMBaApKrQKrHXWJPv8k40ZO7FXfn~ZsKQDFgdEs46iGD~qBZWny6WysvulG3Exr4KdRuxww4hWfwKGOJZYLuUDLo4qoaoCkz1RX4YSxVuDwNgLExkE8mUJo9Y-mYcteNaQ3rtYzdNTTcotT-eM5NNW1tX-JkopS0bPkmTeF3QSIg9wDy0K6JEhxeufhXa~lFu9n2mXUS0OWibYbSsXgYyxW0UGo5M-z~zn~PUov-R4sg6Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Columbia County, WA","date","2025-09-02T00:00:00Z","article","Department dispatch leadership said they are moving forward with a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) upgrade, planned an AI rollout, and will send two dispatchers to a state-run mental-health wellness retreat at Camp Ruthie.

At a department meeting — the first since two staff swapped roles — leaders said they had signed up two dispatchers for the retreat and might attend some sessions themselves. Staff described the retreat as an initial statewide pilot: planners expected about 300 attendees but so far had about 30 signed up; the department estimated the per-attendee cost at roughly $2,300.

Dispatch leadership also said they are preparing a CAD upgrade and expected an implementation demonstration toward the end of the month. They reported that another jurisdiction, Walla Walla, is about two weeks ahead on the same vendor’s rollout.

Staff gave the board operational statistics for July: roughly 1,300 incoming calls to the center, 177 of those classified as 9-1-1 calls, and 772 calls that produced an actual call-for-service dispatched within the county. The department reported 42 dropped cellular calls for the month; staff said dropped calls require callbacks and follow-up. Leadership described the center’s average workload as about 45 calls in a 24-hour period.

Staff said they plan to reassign dispatch partner pairings in 2026 to better match experience and performance and described ongoing training tied to the CAD and AI implementations. A staff member asked permission to work remotely on Fridays as an accommodation for workspace constraints; leaders said remote-work decisions are being handled at the county-policy level and that the request aligns with wider departmental discussions.

Why it matters: call volumes and dropped-call counts illustrate operational strain on the dispatch center and help justify investments in training, wellness programs, software upgrades and possible staffing changes.

Next steps: staff said they will continue CAD implementation planning, proceed with the AI vendor’s onboarding tasks, report back on the CAD demonstration, and provide follow-up information about retreat outcomes and any lessons dispatchers can bring back. The department did not request or receive a formal vote to change staffing levels at this meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners - Regular Agenda - September 02, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dispatch leadership told the department they plan a CAD upgrade and AI implementation, reported July call volumes and dropped-call figures, and said two dispatchers will attend a state-run mental-health retreat at Camp Ruthie.","taxTitle","Columbia County, Washington","taxId",69839,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6133082,"Emergency management seeks grants for fiber backhaul but says microwave will remain primary",286,172000,458000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5705827-0e30928927da8b3c55c7bc2784dbe69f&start=172&end=458","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5705827-0e30928927da8b3c55c7bc2784dbe69f/thumbnail_172000.jpg","/articles/6133082/Columbia-County/Washington/Emergency-management-seeks-grants-for-fiber-backhaul-but-says-microwave-will-remain-primary","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6133082-8dd44c15f6b19d33e3c70182c4ae9587/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447583&Signature=EzQ-MB3oj9pTRH~9VXHv-zwmkE4FU1iCBIO0-H8dsC41fiFVatDC162UuGvtOv~06QIky3g2atxejQjWPnoB0z2SEquR0FX4bYGmP7NS4kCuEopMkdEAZzoFQ7URcUE~4Xqtg-aGTyMHfqLhl8T9UWLNxsklgy-8aiXvSor6CI4MMdsEDwS05Dtxnbh6UVBY6S45G32vK1Jaa-q--YEidCHBWKoG5UCYqVCvrMRs9yWHStd~4YeeS61LOmG6y7VIo1kgamGaZbqnKVf3SHN5w6yhZSNWJnVgEIgxLncsasw-6QPlnrr0uwKqTvUIuz~AIzewUy5lxIZ53b3ivMq5Cg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","County emergency management staff said they have applied for grant funding to install fiber-optic backhaul and additional microwave dishes but cautioned the fiber would be a secondary route, not a replacement for the department's microwave network.

The department presented details during an operations update, saying it had submitted an application for the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and a separate “Wild Horse” grant to pay for fiber and multiple microwave dishes. Staff said the EMPG award is a fixed allotment and that the department expected roughly $25,000 in that grant cycle.

The department described a planned fiber run from the bottom of Crawl Hollow up to Thorn and noted an existing fiber path that runs from the cooperative to Dayton. Staff said vendors Raycom and a company they referred to as Valence had advised that upgrading the county’s microwave links could be a lower-cost option and that both radio vendors could use any new fiber for backhaul.

Department staff emphasized that fiber would function primarily as a backhaul to improve reliability between dispatch and Thorn. They said the larger performance constraint is a capacity bottleneck “at Thorn,” and that installing fiber or microwave to Thorn would not by itself remove downstream limitations beyond that site.

Staff reported they expect vendor quotes on a microwave upgrade and are pursuing the two grant opportunities to pay for a mix of fiber and microwave dishes; the grants and vendor quotes are pending. No formal decision or contract award was made at the meeting.

Why it matters: the county’s 9-1-1 and radio communications rely on layered backhaul and microwave links; staff said added backhaul could make some links more reliable but would not by itself solve the Thorn-site capacity problem.

Implementation details and next steps: staff said they had requested formal quotes from vendors, applied for the EMPG and the Wild Horse grant, and would report back once awards and vendor proposals were available. The department did not set a timeline for construction or state whether permits or third-party approvals would be required for the proposed fiber run.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this report were identified in the meeting only by first name or role; this article attributes statements to “department staff” when the transcript did not provide a full name and role.","County emergency management staff told the board they applied for federal and local grants to fund fiber-optic backhaul and microwave dishes, but said fiber would act as a backup and would not resolve a known bottleneck at the Thorn site.","actionData","errors"]

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Dispatch leaders report CAD upgrade, AI rollout and call-volume data; send two staff to mental-health retreat

Emergency management seeks grants for fiber backhaul but says microwave will remain primary