Full Notification

KITSAP 911 (formerly CENCOM)  wants you to use a temporary non-emergency hotline, 360-307-5811, this Fourth of July.

On Bainbridge Island, all emergency and non-emergency calls are routed through KITSAP 911. Typically, all Bainbridge Island residents should call 911 to report emergency and non-emergency situations to the Bainbridge Island Police Department or the Bainbridge Island Fire Department. However, the Fourth of July holiday is a notoriously busy time for emergency responders, and 911 centers are universally inundated with 911 calls.

Following overwhelming call volume that nearly paralyzed the system with non-emergency calls during the 2015 holiday, officials at KITSAP 911 are asking the public to think carefully before calling 911 during this year’s Fourth of July holiday. Unless there is an immediate danger or life-threatening situation, the public should avoid calling 911. This allows callers with true emergencies to reach 911 when needed. For non-emergent complaints, officials have set up a special non-emergency line, 360-307-5811, that will be in operation from Friday June 30, 2017 at 1:00 p.m.  through Wednesday July 5, 2017 at 7:00 a.m.

“I want to strongly encourage all of my follow Bainbridge Islanders to utilize the temporary non-emergency hotline, 360-307-5811, this Fourth of July, so that we can make sure that emergency lines are open for life-threatening emergencies,” said Chief Matthew Hamner. “Thank you in advance for your cooperation, and I hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July holiday.”

After 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5, Bainbridge Island residents should return to utilizing 911 to report all emergency and non-emergency situations.