Grays Harbor - 911 Communications

09/15/2026

Grays Harbor Communications Deploys AVA for Non-Emergency Calls, Keeping Telecommunicators Focused on 911

Virtual assistant will help handle non-emergency calls while 911 calls continue to be answered by Grays Harbor Communications Telecommunicators.

Aberdeen, WA – 09/16/26 – Grays Harbor Communications (GHCC) has deployed AVA, Aurelian’s virtual assistant, to help answer calls to the agency’s non-emergency line. The goal is simple: provide faster service to callers with non-emergency needs while allowing GHCC Telecommunicators to remain focused on 911 calls and incidents where seconds matter.

AVA does not answer 911 calls. When you call 911 in Grays Harbor County, your call will continue to be answered by a human Telecommunicator.
Grays Harbor Communications is the consolidated 911 center for Grays Harbor County, dispatching law enforcement, fire, and emergency medical services for agencies throughout the county, with the exception of the Washington State Patrol.

GHCC serves approximately 78,000 year-round residents, with the county’s population increasing to more than 100,000 during peak summer months as visitors travel to the coast.

In 2025, GHCC answered 42,014 emergency calls and 60,596 non-emergency calls. Non-emergency calls make up nearly 60 percent of the center’s total incoming call volume, and until now, those calls have been answered by the same Telecommunicators responsible for answering 911 and managing simultaneous law enforcement, fire and EMS radio traffic.

When residents call the GHCC non-emergency line at 360-533-8765, AVA can answer immediately without placing callers on hold or requiring them to work through a traditional phone tree.

AVA is designed to have a conversational interaction with callers, gather the information needed for their request, and, when appropriate, create a call for service in GHCC’s dispatch system. A Telecommunicator can then review the information and process the call while continuing to prioritize incoming 911 calls and active emergency incidents.

AVA can communicate in more than 45 languages and is designed to recognize information indicating that a caller may actually be reporting an emergency. If an emergency is identified during the conversation, the caller is transferred to a GHCC Telecommunicator.

“I want to reassure our community, when you call 911 in Grays Harbor County, a trained 911 Telecommunicator answers. That is not changing,” said Jaimie Green, Executive Director of Grays Harbor Communications. “AVA is being used on our non-emergency line to help us manage a significant portion of our call volume while still providing service to the public.”.

“The same Telecommunicators answering 911 are also responsible for more than 60,000 non-emergency calls each year,” Green continued. “Giving callers another way to quickly access non-emergency services means our Telecommunicators can remain focused on the emergency calls and radio traffic that require their immediate attention, while residents calling for non-emergency assistance are still able to get the help they need.”.

Like many 911 centers across the country, GHCC continues to balance increasing service demands with ongoing staffing challenges. The center, like many others, is currently working with a staffing shortage while continuing to provide 24-hour emergency communications services throughout Grays Harbor County. During the summer, that same team also supports the increased demand that comes with thousands of additional residents and visitors throughout the county.

“Public safety answering points across the country face a similar challenge: increasing call volumes and limited staffing,” said Max Keenan, CEO and Founder of Aurelian. “Grays Harbor is using technology to make sure residents receive timely service while allowing telecommunicators to remain available for emergencies. AVA helps non-emergency callers receive assistance more quickly while preserving human attention for calls where it is needed most.”.

At agencies currently using the platform, Aurelian reports that AVA handles approximately 60 to 75 percent of non-emergency calls within 90 days of deployment. Aurelian currently serves more than 15 million U.S. residents across approximately 40 public safety agencies and reports platform uptime of more than 99.95 percent since its first deployment in April 2024.

For residents, the most important distinction remains unchanged:
Call 911 for emergencies or situations requiring an immediate public safety response.
For non-emergency law enforcement requests, questions, or calls that do not require an immediate emergency response, residents can call 360-533-8765.

For more information, visit gh911.org.

About Aurelian
Aurelian develops technology designed specifically for public safety answering points. Its platform supports emergency communications centers through tools including real-time call guidance and automation of non-emergency calls, with the goal of helping telecommunicators manage workload and provide timely service to callers.

For more information, visit aurelian.com.

The AI platform for PSAPs and ECCs. Aurelian supports telecommunicators before, during, and after every call so they can focus on real emergencies.

09/15/2026

During a school emergency, children should follow the directions of teachers, school staff, and trusted adults whenever they can.

But children should also know that 911 is there if they are separated from an adult, unsafe, injured, hiding, lost, or need emergency help.

If a child calls 911 from a school, the Telecommunicator may ask what school they are at, what room or area they are in, what is happening, if anyone is hurt, and whether they are safe where they are.

Children should not leave a safe location to make a call. If they can safely call or text 911, they should give the Telecommunicator the best information they can and stay connected unless it becomes unsafe.

Daisy’s reminder:
If you are with a teacher or trusted adult, listen to them first. If you are alone, unsafe, or need emergency help, call 911.

09/09/2026

When children call 911, Telecommunicators will guide them through the call one question at a time. But there are a few important things children should practice knowing ahead of time.

Teach children their first and last name, their home address, the names of their caregivers, and how to describe where they are if they are not at home. This may include a school name, business name, park, beach approach, campground, apartment number, or nearby landmark.

Children do not need to give perfect answers. They just need to stay on the phone, listen to the Telecommunicator, and answer as best they can.

Families can practice by asking simple questions like:
“What is your name?”
“Where do you live?”
“What would you say if someone was hurt?”
“What should you do if you call 911 by accident?”

Daisy’s reminder:
The more children know about where they are, the easier it is for 911 to send help to the right place.

09/02/2026

August 2026 Call Statistics

09/01/2026

Teaching children how to call 911 is one of the most important safety lessons families can practice before an emergency happens.

Children should know that 911 is for emergencies when someone is hurt, in danger, very sick, there is a fire, or they need police, fire, or medical help right away.

Practice can help children feel less scared if they ever need to make the call. Teach them how to unlock a phone, dial 911, and answer the Telecommunicator's questions as best they can.

It is also important to remind children that 911 is not for jokes, practice calls, or non-emergency questions. If they call by accident, they should stay on the line and tell the Telecommunicator it was a mistake.

Even de-activated cell phones with no cell phone plan can still dial 911. Don't let kids play with old phones. If it powers on, it can still dial 911.

Daisy’s reminder:
Practice before there is an emergency. Knowing what to do can help kids feel safer and help responders get there faster.

08/24/2026

When a 911 call ends, the work may not be over.

After hanging up, dispatch may continue updating responders, entering additional notes, monitoring radio traffic, coordinating other resources, or handling additional calls about the same or different incident.

Calls are also prioritized based on the details provided by callers. That means a life-threatening emergency will receive a higher priority response than a non-injury fender bender, a delayed report, or a situation where there is no immediate danger.

This does not mean your call does not matter. It means dispatchers and responders have to make sure the most urgent emergencies are handled first.

The information you provide helps determine the response. Details like injuries, weapons, fire, blocked roads, medical symptoms, whether something is happening now, or whether someone is in immediate danger can all affect how a call is prioritized.

Echo’s reminder: The phone call may end, but the response often continues. Your details help us get the right help to the right place at the right time.

08/17/2026

When someone calls 911, they may be scared, panicked, angry, crying, or overwhelmed. Telecommunicators understand that emergencies do not sound calm and are trained to work with callers, no matter what their level of escalation is.

We are listening for the information responders need: where the emergency is, what is happening, who needs help, whether anyone is hurt, and whether there are safety concerns like weapons, fire, traffic hazards, or changing conditions.

You may not hear a Telecommunicator say, “calm down,” because that usually does not help. Instead, you may hear us slow our voice, repeat a question, ask you to take a breath, or guide you one step at a time.

That is not because your emotions are wrong. It is because clear answers help us get the right help to the right place as safely as possible.

Echo’s reminder: You can be scared. You can be upset. We will help you through the call, one question at a time.

08/10/2026

When you call 911, your call is routed to a 911 center based on location information from the phone service carriers. In many cases, that helps get your call to the right place quickly.

But that information is not always perfect.

Cell phone calls may route based on towers, location data, or other technology that is approximate. That is why the first question you may hear is:

“911, what is the location of your emergency?”

We ask because your exact location matters. A house number, street name, business name, milepost, intersection, beach approach, trailhead, campground, or nearby landmark can help responders find you faster.

Echo’s reminder: Technology helps route the call, but your words help us send help to the right place.

08/04/2026

July 2026 Call Statistics