We are Island County Emergency Services Communications Center. Washington State RCWs encourage public agencies, whenever possible, to consolidate resources and act jointly in an effort to minimize cost and maximize efficiency.

I-COM 9-1-1 was formed under a cooperative Interlocal Agreement to provide emergency dispatch services for law enforcement, fire and emergency medical agencies that serve Island County (both Whidbey and Camano Island).

Island County 911 system facing challenges to public safety

ISLAND COUNTY, WASH. Public safety starts with 911, and community residents must have reliable and effective emergency response. Island County is proposing two-tenths of one percent (.2%), or 2¢ for every $10.00 spent in applicable sales tax purchases increase to fund critical upgrades to our 911 communications infrastructure. This small increase will go a long way to improve the quality, reliability, and resilience of our emergency response system.

Why This Matters:

Our current emergency dispatch system is struggling to meet the increasing demands of our community. The 911 center is a lifeline, coordinating responses for law enforcement, fire, and EMS across Island County and surrounding counties. Unfortunately, the current system is aging and vulnerable to outages during disasters--and areas of our county cannot reliably connect to 911.

The proposed 911 sales tax measure will address these issues and lay the groundwork for an upgraded, state-of-the-art 911 emergency communication system that will ensure our emergency response system can meet current and future needs. Additionally, these upgrades will add critical infrastructure to reduce dead zones and improve coordination between agencies during emergencies and natural disasters.

Repair, Replace, Reliable, Resilient:

Repair: Our current emergency dispatch system is struggling to meet the increasing demands of our community. This measure will fund mission-critical infrastructure improvements to the land mobile radio system, ensuring clearer, more reliable communication for our first responders. This measure will also fund new communication towers to improve connectivity.

Replace: This measure will support the implementation of infrastructure that will provide a safe, resilient, and efficient environment for our emergency operators. This future-ready facility will meet growing community needs and support advanced communication technologies, providing Island County with the infrastructure to ensure responsive, coordinated emergency services for years to come.

Reliable: The proposed 911 sales tax increase will address these issues and lay the groundwork to ensure our emergency response system can meet current and future needs. Modernized systems will reduce response times, strengthen radio emergency communications, and reduce the risk of service interruptions.

Resilient: Island County is vulnerable to a range of natural and man-made threats. This measure will fund upgrades that strengthen our communications infrastructure, reducing the risk of service interruptions during disasters and ensuring we are prepared when it matters most.

PulsePoint Arrives in Island County

OAK HARBOR, WA, January 15, 2025 – Island County Emergency Communications Center better known as I-COM 9-1-1 announced today the county-wide launch of PulsePoint, a free life-saving mobile app that notifies users when someone nearby is in cardiac arrest and needs immediate help.

PulsePoint is like an AMBER alert for sudden cardiac arrest victims. It uses location-based technology to alert community members to a sudden cardiac arrest in their immediate vicinity so they can get to the victim first and start hands-only CPR in those critical, life-saving minutes before first responders are able to arrive. The app only alerts individuals to a cardiac arrest in public locations, not a private residence, and will now be available for the first time county-wide. Island County Medical Program Director Dr. Krystal Baciak commented, “The EMS community is really excited to further partner with the community to improve early access to bystander CPR and defibrillation which is integral to the survival of patients experiencing an out of hospital cardiac arrest.” In addition, the companion app, PulsePoint AED, allows users to report and update public AED locations so that community members can find a nearby AED when a cardiac emergency occurs. I-COM 9-1-1 Dispatchers will also be able to access and share these AED locations with 9-1-1 callers.

"The foundation with which we achieve the very best cardiac arrest survivability starts with the true first responder, the ‘Good Samaritan.’ As firefighters, we respond as quickly as possible, but it matters greatly to the patient that citizens immediately step in when the heart stops. Calling 9-1-1, then administering hard and fast compressions and using an AED are essential to a successful outcome,” stated Retired Fire Lieutenant Derek Stabell. He went on to say “Every minute counts as 10% survivability per minute is lost, without CPR, when the heart stops. Because it can take several minutes for firefighters to arrive, what you do as a Good Samaritan counts heavily. Having the PulsePoint App on your phone is essential to be alerted of a need for public CPR, to locate an AED and to get to work prior to the FD and medics arrival.”

I-COM 9-1-1 Executive Director Sofia Kohfield says “It is a joint effort to recruit and empower as many community members as possible throughout Island County to download the free app and become PulsePoint responders. Whether or not someone from the public responds is completely optional. We are building a more informed community with it, empowering everyday citizens and making our community heart safe.” Kohfield went on to say that bringing PulsePoint to Island County was made possible through grant funding and a donation from the Island County Fire Chiefs Association. Island County joins Skagit, Whatcom, Snohomish County, and other agencies in Western Washington that participate in PulsePoint.

“With the implementation of PulsePoint, I-COM’s team continues to deliver on being ‘the First, First Responder.’ PulsePoint facilitates rapid citizen response to sudden cardiac arrest with CPR and early defibrillation – essential at helping people survive and recover. We are grateful for ICOM’s partnership as we integrate AED activation into the Island County 9-1-1 system.” – Nic Wildeman, Rotary Club of Whidbey Westside AED Team.

The free PulsePoint app is available for iPhone and Android and can be downloaded here. Both PulsePoint and PulsePoint AED are also available for free download at the Apple App Store and on Google Play. For more information, visit I-COM on social media or our website www.icom911.org.

We’re more than just 911 professionals…