Seattle Fire Encryption: 6 Channels Go Dark by Aug. 31, 2026

Beginning Aug. 18, 2026, Seattle Fire and many King County law enforcement and fire agencies began encrypting selected radio channels as part of the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN), the county’s new regional public-safety radio system. Seattle Fire is phasing the change in through the end of August: by Aug. 31, all traffic on its tactical channels 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 will be fully encrypted — but its dispatch channels 4 and 5 stay fully accessible, still carrying incident type, address and dispatched units. The change was confirmed in an official Seattle Fire release.

Which channels go dark, and when

The encryption rollout began in mid-August and runs through Aug. 30. By Aug. 31, these Seattle Fire channels will carry fully encrypted traffic: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8. Once encrypted, a standard scanner can no longer decode what crews say on those channels.

Dispatch 4 and 5 stay open

The key detail for listeners: Seattle Fire’s dispatch channels 4 and 5 remain fully accessible. They still carry incident type, the address of the call and which units are dispatched — the information most scanner listeners actually want to know in real time. So while you lose the back-and-forth between crews in the field, you keep the initial alert traffic.

Why Seattle Fire is encrypting

This is not an overnight decision. Seattle Fire first announced its encryption plan in June 2025, citing patient information, building access codes, hidden key locations and tactical details that were being heard on the air. The department said encrypting protects sensitive and private health information transmitted during medical responses, which make up a large share of its calls.

PSERN Executive Director Jeremy Hurd framed it as a balance:

Our responsibility is to balance transparency with protecting the people we serve.

PSERN: the regional system behind the wave

Seattle Fire is not alone. The change is part of PSERN, King County’s regional public-safety radio network, and many King County law enforcement and fire agencies are encrypting select channels as part of the same migration. That makes this a regional pattern, not a single-department event — and a signal of what listeners across the county should expect as more agencies come online.

Transparency still applies under Washington law

Officials stress that encryption does not change Washington’s Public Records Act. Radio recordings remain subject to public-records requests even after channels are encrypted. In addition, some agencies are working to offer delayed audio releases, giving the public a way to review incident traffic after the fact — just not live.

What this means for scanner listeners

For the scanner hobbyist in the Seattle area, the practical result is narrower but not silent: real-time fire dispatch still comes through on channels 4 and 5, and the phase-in means the full blackout on tactical channels only takes effect Aug. 31. Elsewhere in the region — and in counties that have not yet migrated — conventional and trunked traffic remains in the clear. A pre-programmed scanner remains the easiest way to catch the dispatch traffic that is still openly broadcast in your area.

FAQ

When do Seattle Fire’s channels go dark?

The encryption phase-in began Aug. 18, 2026, and by Aug. 31 all traffic on Seattle Fire channels 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 8 will be fully encrypted.

Can I still hear Seattle Fire dispatch?

Yes. Dispatch channels 4 and 5 remain fully accessible and still carry incident type, address and dispatched units.

What is PSERN?

PSERN stands for the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network, King County’s regional public-safety radio system. Many King County law enforcement and fire agencies are encrypting select channels as part of the migration to it.

Does encryption affect public-records requests?

No. Encryption does not change Washington’s Public Records Act, and radio recordings remain subject to public-records requests.

Why is Seattle Fire encrypting its radios?

The department cites patient information, building access codes, hidden key locations and tactical details heard on the air, and says encryption protects sensitive health information transmitted during responses.

Bottom line: Seattle Fire’s tactical channels go fully encrypted by Aug. 31, 2026, but dispatch channels 4 and 5 stay open — so Seattle-area listeners keep real-time call alerts even as the PSERN regional encryption wave rolls on. For the traffic that remains in the clear in your county, a pre-programmed police scanner is the fastest way to start listening tonight.