On October 17, 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake rocked the San Francisco Bay area, testing the regional emergency management system. In particular, the effectiveness of emergency medical services were severely impeded due to an inability to effectively communicate and therefore coordinate.

Western Washington Medical Services Communications was organized with the understanding that Western Washington was at risk of a similar event, and that we were not ready. Initially, our operations were only in King County as the ARES Medical Services Team, with the express purpose of providing emergency communications to local hospitals when needed.

In 1993, we were asked by the Section Emergency Coordinator to expand our scope to include all Western Washington. We have been expanding our services to reach this goal ever since. We continue to expand our served hospitals, one county at a time.

Western Washington Medical Services Emergency Communications is a subsidiary of the King County ARES team. In 1997, we formalized our status by incorporating the team as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws were created. At that time, we officially became the Western Washington Medical Services Emergency Communications. (WWMST for short).

Team members are trained in NIMS (National Incident Management System), and HICS (Hospital Incident Coordination System). They also receive other training that prepares them for working in a healthcare setting. 

Team members must be registered as Washington State Emergency Workers, through a local sponsoring agency.