Salem and Toledo, Ore. – The Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC), which operates under the Salem Fire Department, handled an incredible 209,104 emergency calls and 215,599 agency calls in the past year—totaling 404,703 calls—managed by only 79 employees. As one of the busiest emergency communications centers in the region, WVCC continues to provide critical dispatch services for multiple agencies, ensuring efficient and coordinated public safety responses.
In line with this mission, the City of Salem and the City of Toledo jointly announce the successful transition of Toledo’s emergency dispatch services to WVCC. This transition marks a significant step forward in ensuring seamless and efficient 911 and dispatch services for the Toledo community.
For several years, the Toledo Dispatch Center has faced critical staffing shortages despite the tireless dedication of its remaining staff. In November 2024, after careful evaluation, the City of Toledo, with support from the Toledo City Council, made the difficult but necessary decision to contract out dispatching services to WVCC. This transition was undertaken to enhance emergency response capabilities while ensuring the highest level of public safety for the residents of Toledo and the surrounding areas. The transition process has been a collaborative effort, made possible through the extraordinary commitment of Toledo’s dispatchers, the support of WVCC, and assistance from partner agencies, including the Astoria Police Department, Seaside Police Department and Clackamas County Department of Communications (C-COM) dispatch teams. Their dedication has ensured uninterrupted emergency communications throughout this period of change.
“As we move forward, we recognize the deep impact this transition has had on our dispatch team and the Toledo community,” said City of Toledo Police Chief Michael Pace. “We are immensely grateful for the years of dedication from our local dispatchers and partner agencies’ support during this process. While this marks the end of an era, it also opens the door to enhanced emergency communication capabilities for our city.”
Deputy Fire Chief Scott Leavell of the Salem Fire Department, who oversees WVCC, added, “This transition will allow WVCC’s highly skilled and experienced staff to serve the City of Toledo with improved technology and efficient communications. With WVCC’s past and present employees operating with a commitment to excellence and dedication to the agencies and communities we serve, WVCC has established a strong foundation that positions us to assist the City of Toledo. The City of Toledo’s residents will benefit from WVCC employees delivering them a professional, effective and responsive emergency dispatch service. We look forward to collaborating with our newly formed partners as we continue to prioritize and improve the safety and well-being of their community.”
With WVCC now handling Toledo’s emergency dispatching, Toledo Police Department officers and firefighters will benefit from improved coordination with surrounding agencies, streamlined communication, and access to enhanced dispatch technology and software. This partnership strengthens the public safety network, ensuring the Toledo community receives the most efficient and effective emergency response services.
# # #
