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Kings County sheriff warns 911 transfer process could risk delays as Avenel Fire goes 'solo'
Summary
Sheriff Dave Putnham told the board that 911 calls from Avenel will arrive at the county dispatch center for triage even after the city's fire department begins contracting with Fresno EMS, raising concerns about call transfers, dropped calls and potential liability without CAD integration or clear agreements.
Kings County Sheriff Dave Putnham told the Board of Supervisors that a change in Avenel’s fire‑dispatch arrangement could create operational risk and potential liability unless county dispatching protocols and interagency technology are clarified.
Putnham said that as Avenel Fire transitions to contract with Fresno County EMS for fire dispatch, the county sheriff’s dispatch will still be the public‑safety answering point receiving 911 calls from inside Avenel. “Every 911 call from within the city of Avenel will come into our dispatch center into the KCSO dispatch center,” Putnham said. “That will have to be triaged by a Kings County Sheriff's dispatcher…there's always a risk of dropping the 911 call, being placed on hold.”
Sheriff Putnham told the board he had not been contacted by Avenel Fire leadership about software interfaces or liability waivers and said there was no CAD‑to‑CAD forwarding agreement in place. He asked the board to be aware and said he would be working with command staff and local partners to resolve the transition by the target date Avenel set.
Fire Chief John Chamberlain told the board he had received short notice of Avenel’s timeline and that the county would initially run redundant services to avoid gaps while the parties negotiate interfaces and agreements. “We’re going to run redundant services because I’m not comfortable with it,” Chamberlain said, adding that his office is under court order to continue providing certain services until relieved.
Supervisors urged rapid outreach to Avenel officials, recommended memorializing the county’s concerns in writing to the city manager and asked staff to explore whether a closed‑session item on Avenel‑related legal matters might be appropriate. The board did not take formal action during the public comment period but directed staff and the sheriff’s office to pursue clarifications and report back.
What’s next: County staff, the sheriff and the fire chief said they would pursue immediate coordination with Avenel city officials and emergency dispatch partners to address CAD integration, transfer procedures and liability concerns before Avenel’s planned transition date.
