The 911 “control room” for the Lewis County Department of Emergency Services doesn’t look pretty — it’s just a bunch of metal boxes in an air-conditioned room. But according to Communications Manager Dave Anderson, those hunks of computer chips and metal have prepared Lewis County for the future of 911. This means faster and more accurate call locating; the ability to send videos, photos and/or text to 911; and instantaneous system backups in case of emergency. A system like this is in the near future for Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties’ 911 emergency dispatch centers. All Washington counties are expected to convert to Next Generation 911 (NG911) dispatch by early 2019.