Page 38 - Security Today, March/April 2025

S A F E C I T I E S
Empowering 911
By Zachery LaValley
CEO Brian Thompson, media coverage fl ooded the airwaves
In the wake of the tragic murder of UnitedHealth Group
with images, videos and detailed timelines of the suspect’s
movements.
While such post-incident analysis is not new, today’s 911
centers now have access to similar data in real-time. This techno-
logical evolution marks a pivotal transformation in emergency
response, transitioning from analog calls to a digital ecosystem
capable of saving more lives.
Over the last decade, 911 systems have undergone a seismic shift.
Frost & Sullivan estimates that by 2027, more than half of emer-
gency calls will originate from IoT devices. The same devices people
use every day can also work to keep them safe. This profound shift
from traditional legacy ways of operating to modern digital AI-en-
abled solutions has been driven by public-private partnerships and
the growing interconnectedness of everyday technology, which is
contributing to a more responsive public safety landscape.
THE NEW ERA OF DATA-DRIVEN 911
Today’s 911 systems can receive videos and photos from citizens, ac-
cess live surveillance footage, and share real-time emergency alerts
with connected campuses. These advancements enable public safety
and security teams to collaborate and triage emergencies quickly.
Yet, managing and surfacing critical information when every
second counts are still a signifi cant hurdle as data pipelines expand.
Consider New Year’s Eve, 911’s busiest night of the year. Call
volume surged by 714%, with nearly 150,000 911 calls answered
nationwide before sunrise. Amid this surge came high-profi le in-
cidents in New Orleans and Las Vegas, where telecommunicators
worked through numerous calls and data points to identify and
prioritize life-threatening emergencies.
This is where the promise of AI emerges. By harnessing AI,
public safety agencies can streamline operations, triage emergen-
cies faster and enable seamless coordination. Interoperable safety
platforms powered by AI allow 911 centers to instantly share crit-
ical data with fi eld responders and neighboring agencies, setting
the stage for a smarter, safer future.
BRIDGING THE GAPS:
DATA OVERLOAD MEETS TALENT SHORTAGES
Public safety professionals are grappling with two major challeng-
es: overwhelming volumes of data and severe staffi ng shortages. In
fact, 82% of 911 centers report being critically understaffed.
This dual crisis underscores the need for technology that am-
plifi es human capabilities rather than replacing them.
AI-powered tools are already addressing these challenges, pro-
viding solutions that unify voice, text, and video communications
for faster, more informed decision-making. For example:
Identify emergencies. AI analyzes multiple data streams to sur-
face information in a coherent and actionable view.
Non-emergency call triage. AI manages routine tasks, includ-
ing IoT-triggered calls and false alarms, allowing experts to focus
on life-threatening emergencies.
“By enhancing situational awareness,
bridging communication gaps, and
empowering telecommunicators and
first responders, AI ensures more
effective community protection.”
Real-time transcription and translation. AI eliminates language
barriers, ensuring critical information is accessible immediately.
Call summarization. AI summarizes the call, including key in-
sights and other emergency data, to accelerate collaboration in
emergency response.
Natural language prompts. Telecommunicators can intuitively
query systems to surface actionable insights in moments.
Customized intelligence. By training AI systems on their
Standard Operating Procedures, Emergency Communications
Centers (ECCs) gain hyper-relevant insights for rapid, confi dent
decision-making.
These advancements empower telecommunicators to concen-
trate on high-stakes emergencies that require their expertise and
human connection, leaving routine tasks to technology.
COLLABORATION WITHOUT LIMITS
AI does more than analyze data; it builds bridges across agencies
and jurisdictions. Interoperable safety platforms enable seamless
collaboration between corporate campuses, 911 agencies, and
fi rst responders, ensuring that resources and information fl ow
freely during emergencies.
In 2024, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Offi ce demonstrated
the power of this technology. When a distressed offi cer needed
help near a neighboring jurisdiction, telecommunicators lever-
aged interoperable systems to coordinate with the adjacent ECC.
Responders were directed to the offi cer’s location in time to
provide life-saving care — a testament to the transformative po-
tential of AI-driven collaboration.
BUILDING SMARTER CITIES, ONE CALL AT A TIME
As AI continues to reshape our world, it must be central to creat-
ing smarter, safer cities. By enhancing situational awareness, bridg-
ing communication gaps, and empowering telecommunicators and
fi rst responders, AI ensures more effective community protection.
AI-driven platforms are helping ECCs turn mountains of
data into actionable intelligence, streamlining collaboration and
perfecting responses. These tools enhance effi ciency and redefi ne
how public safety professionals approach their
mission — protecting lives and businesses in
an increasingly complex world. Public safety is
building the resilient cities of tomorrow — one
call at a time.
Zachery LaValley is the CTO at RapidSOS.
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