Blaine switches to What-Comm 911 for dispatch services

To quicken response times and improve safety for law enforcement, the city of Blaine switched to What-Comm 911 for emergency dispatch services on October 8.

All calls made to 911 in Whatcom County connect to What-Comm 911, a dispatch center located in Bellingham, where a dispatcher determines if a caller needs police, fire or medical assistance. Prior to switching over to What-Comm 911, calls that required a police presence in Blaine, for example, were transferred to the U.S. Border Patrol dispatch center, adding an extra time-consuming step. The switch will cost the city an estimated $60,000 to $70,000 per year.

“We encourage people to call 911,” said Blaine police department lieutenant Ryan King, emphasizing that residents should not call Border Patrol in the event of an emergency. King said non-emergency reports should also be submitted to What-Comm 911 by calling 360/676-6911, not the Blaine police department.

In addition to lowering response times, the switch to What-Comm 911 is also expected to increase the safety of Blaine police officers.

Using updated computer aided dispatch systems in their vehicles, officers will see real-time data from What-Comm 911, including the location of nearby law enforcement personnel.

In October, the city of Lynden also switched to What-Comm 911.