PSERN Operator Overview
The PSERN Operator is the nonprofit organization that will own, operate, and manage PSERN when the PSERN Project is completed in 2023. This year, the Operator will be focused on startup of the organization including, but not limited to, hiring staff, establishing business operations, and determining radio end-user agency rates. If you have any questions, please email the PSERN Operator.
History of PSERN Operator
Historically in King County, there were many separate public safety radio systems, maintained and operated by multiple entities, such as fire districts or cities. In the 1980’s there were approximately 170 disparate systems and operators with differing operational standards, repair philosophies, maintenance response times, and budget cycles.
By the 1990’s, greater cross-jurisdictional coordination and technology evolution consolidated the 170 systems and in 1997 the King County Emergency Radio Communications System (KCERCS) became one of approximately 7 systems. KCERCS is today owned and managed by 11 cities and King County and operated by the sub-regional 4 KCERCS System Operators.
The PSERN Project will replace KCERCS with PSERN and the PSERN Operator will become the sole radio system operator. The PSERN Operator was formed on December 4, 2020 with the fully executed PSERN Operator Interlocal Agreement of 12 partners: King County and the cities of Auburn, Bellevue, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond, Renton, Seattle, and Tukwila. The PSERN Operator Board of Directors held its first meeting on March 25, 2021, and the PSERN Operator Executive Director, Michael Webb, was hired in November 2021.