Emergency-response centers are using AI to improve and streamline services like live translation.
Better tech could help workers prioritize calls, avoid logistical issues, and catch crucial details.
This article is part of “Build IT,” a series about digital tech and innovation trends that are disrupting industries.
Raquel Lewandowski has been working as a call taker at a call center in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, for nearly 30 years.
In that time, she’s seen technology modernize emergency-response services to better serve people who need assistance. She recalled one instance where she used an app to direct a woman who was lost at the 1,000-acre John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.
“Lights are going out, and she doesn’t have that much left on her phone, and she’s scared, and she doesn’t know how to get out of here,” Lewandowski said. “I was like, ‘Hey, you know what? I can send you a link. Open it up.'”
With the click of a link, Lewandowski could see where the woman was through the camera on her phone. “I can see the Philadelphia skyline — I can see that in the background, so I can kind of tell her which direction to start walking,” she said.
Lewandowski was using Prepared Assist, a platform launched by the emergency-response technology company Prepared. The software uses location data along with text and video capabilities to help with 911 calls.
It also uses artificial-intelligence tools to provide real-time translations and speech processing to dispatchers in high-stress situations.
Michael Chime, Prepared’s CEO, said he launched the company in 2018 in response to several high-profile mass shootings that prompted a new interest in 911 technology. He questioned why smartphones had better features to help in emergencies — like location tracking and video calling — than many call centers did. “Why was I, an everyday citizen, better equipped from a data perspective to communicate to my friend in any odd moment than I would be to 911?” he said.
That was 18 years after the US and Canada started planning the Next Generation 911 initiative, meant to ensure that technology in public-safety answering points, also known as PSAPS or call centers, remained updated.
While many people in the industry have acknowledged a need for better emergency tech, its implementation has varied across states. “There’s a lot of work that’s needed to move our nation to the 21st century,” said Brian Fontes, the CEO of the National Emergency Number Association.
One of the most widespread innovations so far is text-to-911. Now artificial intelligence is introducing more possibilities in 911 operations.
The AI tools solving a big emergency-response problem
Alex Dizengof, the cofounder and chief technology officer of the emergency-communication platform Carbyne, said a big challenge in 911 operations is language.
Operators taking a call from someone speaking a different language typically have to figure out on their own which language it is and then reach out to a third-party live-translation service.
“You’re losing people because they don’t understand what’s going on,” Lewandowski said.
Prepared and Carbyne are both tackling this problem. Prepared’s live-translation feature is designed to identify a caller’s language and translate for the call taker. The feature can be added to existing call-taking infrastructure or location-service software like RapidSOS.
Carbyne’s system uses AI and natural-language processing engines to automatically translate a call. The company says the software can shorten a call by nearly five minutes.
Alleviating stress in understaffed call centers
AI-powered systems could help reduce call takers’ workload. In a 2023 survey from Carbyne and the National Emergency Number Association, 82% of respondents said their call centers were understaffed. Additionally, 74% of those surveyed suggested that they or their coworkers felt burned out.
Prepared’s transcription service is designed to assign keywords to trigger certain dispatches or alert management, helping call takers catch details they might miss over the phone.
Anthony Mignogna, the chief of communications for Delaware County Emergency Services, recalled using the transcription service while taking a call from someone in danger. “There was a customer dispute at a gas station service shop, and he whispered, ‘The guy pointed a gun in my head,'” Mignogna told BI. It was hard to hear the caller’s warning because of the background noise, Mignogna added, but “through the transcription, we caught that.”
Carbyne also recently rolled out an AI-powered triage system designed to help centers prioritize calls during high-volume periods or nonemergency situations. Heather Hilliard, the deputy executive director of the Orleans Parish Communication District in Louisiana, said that over six weeks, they used Carbyne’s triage system 48 times on about 200 calls.
“Bias is definitely a concern that we’re always thinking about, and also the accuracy of the data,” Dizengof said. Carbyne says it checks a selection of translations with a person to verify its system’s accuracy. The company says it’s also developing a language-processing engine trained on 911 calls to provide results that are more precise.
Modernizing emergency tech would also require updated PSAP infrastructure, which isn’t cheap. PSAPs are run at the state and local levels, and individual municipalities often decide whether to migrate to a new system.
The Emergency Communications Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, for example, recently started using Prepared Live, a cloud-based platform the city said would cost about $50,000 a year. The goal is to reduce the costs of faulty legacy technology and save money on hardware in the long run.
“I can’t tell you how many times I had problems in my server room,” said Karima Holmes, a former 911 call taker who now serves as Carbyne’s vice president of public safety. “I had technology go down because there was moisture in the air.” She added that with cloud-based systems, that’s not an issue.
The future of 911 technology also relies on systems innovating past verbal-only communication. AI-powered transcription services, location-data gathering, and expanded video capabilities could help give responders a better picture of a situation before help arrives.
But Fontes said progress can be incremental when many centers lack the resources and budget to upgrade their systems. He called on the federal government to step in to help centers access new services. “Congress has to fund this now to enable all the benefits of technology that the private sector has out there,” he said.
LINCOLN, Neb. — Lincoln Mayor Leiron Gaylor Baird on Thursday announced a new partnership between the Lincoln Emergency Communications Center and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Lincoln becomes the first city in Nebraska to partner 911 services with 988’s mental health services, which Gaylor Baird said will boost the number of mental health calls serviced.
“The 911/988 partnership enables our 911 emergency dispatchers to connect people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress to the 988 lifeline, to trained mental health professionals and resources,” she said.
Calls received by 911 dispatchers that are deemed mental health crises will be transferred to trained professionals with 988.
Nebraska’s 988 number had a soft launch in July 2022 and since then, the call center located in Boys Town has received more than 42,000 calls, chats and texts from people experiencing crises caused by mental and behavioral issues, substance use or suicidal thoughts, said program manager Kyle Kinney.
The organization’s goal is to provide the correct services at the right time, allowing police and other emergency services to respond to other calls.
“Since implementation, 97% of calls to 988 Nebraska were able to successfully de-escalate the situation,” Kinney said.
When someone communicates with 988, they speak with counselors who help people find resources and follow up to ensure their needs are being met.
Lincoln Emergency Communication Center manager Jessica Loos said the center is eager to begin working with 988 to help identify calls that may be better handled through the new partnership.
In the last six months, the communication center has answered just under 6,000 calls from people experiencing a mental health crisis.
“Each of those times, we were limited to sending a law enforcement officer when officers were available to respond,” Loos said. “Most of these calls were ones in which the expertise of a crisis counselor would be more effective in addressing the callers’ needs.”
Research shows that when officers make contact during a mental health crisis, the chances of a situation escalating increase, as does the likelihood of someone ending up in jail.
Certain circumstances may still result in officers being called to a scene of a mental health crisis. For example, if someone is threatening to not only harm themselves but also others, police will be called.
The number of calls to 988 is expected to increase, with 911 calls in Lincoln being connected quickly to the service line. According to Kinney, the average wait time is under 10 seconds.
If the call volume becomes too great for the current staff at 988, the organization will look to hire to fill the necessary gaps.
The Department of Health and Human Services funds 988 Nebraska and will work with the organization to maintain a satisfactory service level if additional funding for staffing becomes necessary.
Staffing has steadily increased since the beginning of the program, Kinney said.
Gaylor Baird touted Lincoln’s continued dedication to increase public safety.
“We are so pleased to be piloting this program here in Lincoln as we work to become the safest and healthiest capital city in the country,” Gaylor Baird said.
Construction of a new radio tower in Isabella County that will improve first responder communications is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Isabella County commissioners last week paid a third milestone of $439,746 to Motorola for the project, which is being funded by the state.
Isabella County Sheriff Michael Main said construction on the tower, which will be located at Isabella County Central Dispatch at Isabella Road and Preston Street, is expected to begin within the next 45 days.
Main said the appropriation of $4.8 million by the state for a new radio tower came after first responders in Isabella County had difficulty communicating in big-box stores, buildings on the campus of Central Michigan University, heavy construction-style buildings, schools and Saginaw Chippewa Tribal entities.
State Sen. Roger Hauck, R-Mt. Pleasant, helped appropriate the money during his second term as a state representative, Main said.
Hauck was instrumental in getting the funds to the county for better communications for police, fire, ambulance, emergency management, public works and major medical facilities in the county, Main said.
The $4.8 million was appropriated to the county to build a 195-foot monopole structure at central dispatch.
That location ties into the county’s existing communications tower, which is owned by the state, and when complete will create a loop between the existing tower, the new tower and a tower located in Midland County that’s near Shepherd, Main said.
The project might require the purchase of smaller antennae on some buildings to ensure a signal is being received, according to Main.
“It is anticipated that this loop and new tower will create an appropriate level of communication in the structures throughout Mt. Pleasant, Union Township, the CMU campus and the Tribal business and government buildings,” Main said. “We are also looking at making sure we have appropriate coverage within the Shepherd and Beal City schools with this project.
“This could require some additional smaller antennae on their buildings to assure the signal is being received through the buildings.”
Main anticipates additional funding to refresh all of the law enforcement mobile and portable radios throughout the county.
“Currently, the majority of radios being used by law enforcement are at the end of life and are not being supported for service any longer,” Main said. “The refresh will assure that law enforcement has the ability to communicate with no delays or connectivity failures.
“All of the existing radios will be provided to fire and other public safety partners to provide them additional communication improvements.”
Currently, work has been completed on the design and purchase of the necessary items for the project, which is expected to be completed during the last quarter of this year, Main said, adding that the new tower will provide better, safer and more effective services for everyone who lives, works or travels in Isabella County.
Funding will support 34 nonprofit and government agencies across the company’s Indiana service territory
PLAINFIELD, Ind., March 7, 2024 /3BL/ – First responders across Indiana, including local police, fire and emergency management agencies (EMAs), will benefit from more than $200,000 in grants from the Duke Energy Foundation. The funding will help public safety agencies increase their response capabilities during severe weather and other emergencies through advanced preparation, planning, equipment and training.
“When severe weather strikes, we rely on strong partnerships with local emergency management and law enforcement agencies to effectively respond and restore power in affected communities,” said Stan Pinegar, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “These grants will help give first responders the tools and training they need to respond to any emergency.”
During major emergencies and natural disasters, local emergency management agencies play a critical role in providing information, resources and support that Duke Energy relies on to speed power restoration for its customers.
“Successful preparedness, response and recovery requires a community approach,” said Sean Stoops, chief of the Avon Police Department. “We envisioned equipping all of our patrol vehicles with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). With the support of Duke Energy and other community partners, we were able to bring that goal to fruition, purchasing 35 AEDs that our officers can use to deliver life-saving measures to a person in cardiac arrest.”
Grants were awarded to the following organizations:
Bartholomew County EMA
$8,000 to purchase new water rescue equipment, including a new motor for an airboat
Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office
$5,000 to support public safety measures and preparations ahead of the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024
Brown County EMA
$5,500 to help equip a Brown County EMA emergency operations center with computers, monitors, software and other electrical components
Cass County EMA
$4,000 to sponsor a hazardous materials technician certification course
City of Brazil Fire Department
$7,500 to support the department’s efforts to promote its “Free Smoke Detector Program”
City of Clinton Fire Department
$7,000 to support the department’s water rescue unit with the purchase of a sonar unit, anchors, throw bags and medical items
City of Delphi Police Department
$6,500 to support the purchase of a vehicle that can access trails and other confined areas in emergencies
City of Greencastle Fire Department
$7,500 to support emergency preparedness and training
Clark County EMA
$2,750 to purchase a rescue boat that can be used during water rescue emergencies
Crawford County EMA
$2,750 to provide weather radios to local residents
Fayette County EMA
$10,000 to purchase portable, two-way radios and firefighter breathing apparatus
Floyd County EMA
$2,750 to provide weather radios to local residents
Fountain County EMA
$2,205 to purchase safety cones that can be used to block restricted areas
Franklin County EMA
$10,000 to fund new equipment and training, including an unmanned aerial vehicle with thermal and infrared technology, water rescue equipment, and mass sheltering items such as cots and personal care kits
Fulton County EMA
$5,000 to conduct a hazardous materials tabletop exercise
Gibson County EMA
$11,000 to provide education and training for first responders
Hamilton County EMA
$10,000 to enhance community outreach and preparedness education
Harrison County EMA
$2,750 to purchase an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be deployed in planning and response operations
Huntington County EMA
$5,000 to purchase various supplies and equipment, including uniforms
Jefferson County EMA
$2,799 to purchase an unmanned aerial vehicle
Jennings County EMA
$5,000 to equip the department’s disaster response vehicle with a thermal imaging camera and provide weather alert radios to local residents
Knox County EMA
$11,000 to purchase cots and amenities for displaced residents during emergencies
Lawrence County EMA
$5,500 to purchase a generator that can provide back-up power to a Lawrence County EMA facility in an emergency
Monroe County EMA
$5,500 to provide weather radios to local residents
Montgomery County Emergency Response Team
$6,785 to support the purchase of a small, enclosed trailer equipped with thermal blankets, cooling towels, an electric kettle, instant hot packs, an electric heater and other supplies that support firefighter rehabilitation
Orange County EMA
$5,500 to provide weather radios to local residents
Scott County EMA
$2,750 to purchase an unmanned aerial vehicle
Switzerland County EMA
$9,000 to purchase firefighter equipment
Tippecanoe County Surveyor’s Office
$6,510 to purchase rescue helmets
Town of Avon Police Department
$22,000 to equip patrol vehicles with AEDs
Town of Cambridge City Fire Department
$3,500 to purchase new firefighter boots
Town of Converse Volunteer Fire Company
$10,000 to purchase a thermal imaging camera
Town of Dunreith Fire Department
$4,000 to purchase new firefighter boots
Washington County EMA
$2,750 to provide weather radios to local residents
Duke Energy Foundation
The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The Foundation contributes more than $2 million annually in charitable gifts to Indiana and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. More information about the Foundation and its Powerful Communities program can be found at duke-energy.com/Foundation.
Duke Energy Indiana
Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, provides about 6,300 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 890,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.
The Belchertown Police Department at 70 State St. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE
The Belchertown Police Department at 70 State St. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE
Senior dispatcher Iain Knight fields calls on Wednesday afternoon at the Belchertown Police Department. The town is in the process of transferring its dispatch services into the Wilbraham Regional Emergency Communications Center effective July 1. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE
Senior dispatcher Iain Knight fields calls on Wednesday afternoon at the Belchertown Police Department. The town is in the process of transferring its dispatch services into the Wilbraham Regional Emergency Communications Center effective July 1. STAFF PHOTO/DAN LITTLE
BELCHERTOWN — The town this summer is likely to become the latest to follow a growing trend in the region of outsourcing emergency communications to regional dispatch centers.
Staffing shortages for dispatchers and $7.6 million in upcoming radio equipment repairs are motivating Belchertown’s emergency service personnel to move dispatch services into the Wilbraham Regional Emergency Communications Center on July 1. In addition to providing adequate staff, Belchertown Police Chief Kevin Pacunas said regionalization will push the town’s radio repairs toward the top of state grant priorities.
“I looked at other agencies and other communities around us that offer the same service and Wilbraham was definitely the right fit,” Fire Chief John Ingram said.
Belchertown will compensate Wilbraham for use of the town’s dispatch center, but according to Pacunas the exact rate and contract are still under negotiations.
Pacunas and Ingram prefer Wilbraham because of its proximity to the town and its state-of-the-art facility. Unlike WESTCOMM Regional Dispatch in Chicopee that serves Longmeadow, Monson, East Longmeadow and Ware, the dispatch center in Wilbraham handles only Hampden and Wilbraham.
Belchertown currently has five dispatchers who work full time and four who are part time, but Pacunas said the station requires at least eight or nine full-time dispatchers to handle the call demand. The town receives 16,000 to 18,000 calls for service per year, of which 1,700 are 911 calls. Without the extra hands, dispatchers work longer weeks, adding another roadblock to the already-difficult process of recruiting new staff.
“We normally have two (dispatchers) on. Sometimes it’s only one,” Pacunas said. “This (move) will give us three to four per shift if we regionalized. Granted, Wilbraham and Hampden will also be in the mix, but it’s not very often that all four dispatchers are going to be on one call from one town.”
The police chief said the Belchertown dispatchers have the option to take positions in Wilbraham.
Despite the changes, the police station won’t be empty. Three part-time clerks will greet residents who enter the station, fill out paperwork and operate the traffic window. When a resident calls the police and fire department non-emergency numbers, one of the part-time clerks who will replace the dispatchers will answer. When the clerks are not working, the call transfers to Wilbraham.
“We are still going to have some part-time clerks there with office hours so that if somebody needs to be at the station for some reason, there will still be a face,” Town Administrator Steven Williams said. “Even though Belchertown is a big town, we still have a small town atmosphere and we still need to maintain.”
Regionalization will also increase the town’s chances of landing state grants to replace or repair aging radio equipment, as the state gives preference to regional dispatch centers when handing out money.
“By doing this it will bring us hopefully to the top of the grant cycle,” said Ingram, noting that the radio system infrastructure on the side of the police station needs to be addressed. “Our radio infrastructure right now is very poor and we really need to get that up and running.”
Pacunas clarified that radios still work and Wilbraham dispatchers can still communicate with officers in an emergency. However, parts of the radio system will fail, resulting in unstable communication.
“July 1 is the date we’re going to officially make the move. We’ll have a soft start in June,” Pacunas said. “But you know, if for some reason we’ve lost all our dispatchers because they know that the end is coming, Wilbraham could hit switch anytime and we could make the move.”
Regionalization will cut funds used to train emergency service personnel on the dispatch system, as well as salary and benefits for nine employees. Williams said he’s still working out the exact amount regionalization will save the town.
Both chiefs affirmed that the state is encouraging regional emergency communication centers to cut operation costs. Regionalizing now, they said, allows Belchertown to pick the best center to join. The Select Board agreed.
“(Regionalization) sounds like it’s coming. If we don’t do it now, we will be forced to do it in some other way,” Select Board Member Peg Louraine said.
Other Hampshire County towns have regionalized in recent months. Southampton, for example, last fall transferred its dispatch services transfer to Easthampton.
Another example is the WESTCOMM Regional Dispatch that serves five communities in Hampden and Hampshire counties.
Emilee Klein can be reached at eklein@gazettenet.com.
Learn about current efforts to continue to protect the 4.9 GHz Band for public safety as well as recent filings, key decisions impacting these efforts, and how you can support PSSA’s initiative to protect the 4.9 GHz band for public safety.
