Across the country, 911 call centers are so understaffed that some are turning to artificial intelligence to answer non-emergency calls.At Lake County 911 in Indiana, an AI call taker named “AVA” has handled more than 35,000 calls within just months.But how does it work?

Starting this month, Boulder Police and Fire Communications Center will begin using AI technology during limited hours and days of the week to answer non-emergency calls. The purpose is to provide faster and more efficient responses to those calls, which will allow dispatchers to handle higher priority calls more quickly. This technology will not be used to answer 911 calls and there are several safeguards in place to immediately transfer calls that become an emergency.

At the recent Vision 2026: FirstNet Users Summit, hosted by the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA), there was a big US map on display for attendees to stick pins in the places where they need coverage and submit written requests.The activity was a first for the PSBTA’s annual event, which attracted around 430 people from public safety, and illustrated that network coverage remains the biggest issue for many first responders when they rely on 4G and 5G to communicate wherever an emergency takes them.

Four regional emergency dispatch centers including those for Fairfield, West Chester Twp. and Warren County, are being honored for their work.Those dispatch centers joined with the Cincinnati Emergency Communications Center to work on developing and enhancing integrated Computer Aided Dispatch platforms over the past three years. The platforms enable rapid sharing of critical emergency information.

Legislation to expand and modernize emergency alert access during natural disasters is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk after the U.S. Senate unanimously passed it on Thursday.
The Mystic Alerts Act, introduced by U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R–Midland), would allow wireless carriers to partner with satellite communications providers to deliver Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) when traditional cellular networks are damaged or unavailable. 

Anoka County will spend up to $1.1 million in leftover bond proceeds on security fencing, workspace changes and a replacement for a problematic 911 phone system at its new Emergency Communications Center. The Anoka County Board voted 6-0 on Sept. 22 to authorize the...

Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications will begin a phased rollout of a new system for the city's 911 center on Tuesday, marking the start of a transition away from technology that has been used for the past 30 years. READ FULL ARTICLE

The grant was announced during the North Carolina 911 Board meeting on August 28 in Raleigh after being recommended for approval by the board’s Grant Committee. According to Alexander County E-911 Communications Director Greg Foster, the funding will allow the county...

In the wake of a failed levy that would have funded emergency response operations in Columbia County, the Columbia 911 Communications District is considering other ways to respond to financial pressure — and local agencies could be hit with the bill. READ FULL...

Palm Bay City Council members voted Thursday, Sept. 17, to move forward with drafting a contract with the Brevard County sheriff’s office to take over the city’s 911 police dispatch communications.  The vote came after nearly two and half hours of public comment...

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Lloyd Moskowitz sat in his Brooklyn dispatch office 25 years ago listening to technicians with a cell service company update him on their repairs to a faulty 911 system over the weekend. It was after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday morning. People were beginning...

The Moody County Commission will have a significant decision on its hands when it meets this week: Accept a sharply reduced offer from the city of Flandreau for 911 dispatch services or risk losing the city to another dispatch center altogether.The situation has been...

The people who answer Atlanta’s calls for help are getting a new facility built specifically for the work they do. Mayor Andre Dickens joined City leaders and public safety officials Wednesday, September 9, to break ground on a new E911 Emergency Operations Center at...

NORTHBOROUGH – Will Northborough outsource its dispatching? There’s no decision yet, but plenty of discussion. Joining the Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC) would fold the town’s dispatching services into a regional network that would include...

The Joliet Police Department has placed two employees on leave following the alleged misuse of the city's Flock Safety systems, officials said. READ FULL ARTICLE

Stepping into the newly renovated Nash County 911 Primary Communications Center is an eye-opening experience. The first thing one notices isn’t the technology, it’s the people. The room hums with quiet focus as telecommunicators Destiny, Daniel, Grace, Brittany,...

Jurisdictions should prepare to fund larger annual operational budgets for NG911 emergency call centers than today, according NTIA officials. Next-generation 911 (NG911) technology promises to support greater functionality in U.S. public-safety answering points...

Several Chattanooga City Council members proposed Tuesday reviewing the municipality's longstanding multimillion-dollar contract with the Hamilton County 911 center. Jeff Carney, executive director for the 911 district, spoke to the council during a strategic planning...

WLBT News in Jackson reports that Taylor Williams, an Emergency Operations Center dispatcher with the Jackson Police Department, was arrested after an Aug. 16 shooting on Wildfire Way linked her to possible criminal activity. Williams is charged with accessory after...

Georgia's 911 system has operated on essentially the same underlying technology since the state's first 911 call was placed in 1968 a circuit-switched network built for landline telephones tied to a fixed address. That's changing right now, not as a future proposal...