Erin Hut, Communications Director, ehut@spokanecity.org
Thursday, June 26, 2025 at 2:03 p.m.
Following a vote by the Spokane Regional Emergency Communications (SREC) Board to terminate its contract for dispatch services for the Spokane Fire Department by January 1, 2026, the City of Spokane will proceed forward with establishing its own emergency communications system and securing equitable apportionment of tax revenue in order to do so.
The Spokane Fire Department has been a member of SREC since late 2022, while the Spokane Police Department has continually operated its own dispatch center. Discussions on full integration between Spokane’s public safety agencies and SREC have been ongoing for years and across multiple mayoral administrations.
Early in the Brown Administration, a consultant assessed full integration and deemed it unfeasible due to concerns about the SREC Board’s governance structure, financial model, and service level agreements.
The City of Spokane has only two seats on SREC’s 10-member board, despite generating more than 50 percent of call volume and nearly half of SREC’s tax revenue. City of Spokane taxpayers contribute 48 percent of SREC’s annual revenue and pay additional user fees that SREC has used to accumulate $33 million in surplus reserves.
Over the past year and a half, the City of Spokane has advocated for fair representation of its constituents and called for improved transparency regarding use and collection of taxpayer dollars. Through all attempts at collaboration, SREC and Spokane County have consistently refused to make any modifications that would ensure fair representation for the City of Spokane, the jurisdiction that serves as the region’s hub of commerce, employment, and health services.
The City of Spokane is moving forward with establishing its own emergency communications system and will seek equitable apportionment of the funding streams for emergency communications response. This includes both future and past apportionments of the sales and use tax dating back to July 25, 2021 and the 911 excise starting in January 2026.
The SREC Board’s vote to remove Spokane Fire within six months -- before the transition plan has been established and funding has been apportioned -- is irresponsible and jeopardizes public safety.
“A year ago, the SREC Board threatened to kick out Spokane Fire if Spokane Police did not join. Today, they are following through on that threat despite our continued good-faith efforts to create a regional system that is fair and transparent,” Mayor Lisa Brown said. “I have no doubt the City of Spokane can create an emergency communications system that ensures uninterrupted, high-quality service to the people we serve and the first responders providing that service. As we work to implement the new system, it is important that arbitrary deadlines not be applied to the process in order to ensure a safe transition.”
“Today’s decision by SREC to remove our department from the regional dispatch system is disappointing and shortsighted. SREC’s unwillingness to meaningfully collaborate ignores both operational realities and public interest,” Fire Chief Julie O’Berg said. “Our priority has always been and will remain the safety of our community and seamless coordination in emergencies. That will remain at the forefront during this time of transition.”
A letter from the City of Spokane to Spokane County and the SREC Board. (PDF 192 KB)
