How Technology is Transforming 911 Dispatch Services

Last month, a drone from Skyfire | AI was credited with saving a police officer’s life after a dramatic 2 a.m. traffic stop. Many statistics show that AI impacts billions of lives, but sometimes a story still hits me emotionally. Let me share what happened. Skyfire AI, an AI Fund portfolio company led by CEO Don Mathis, operates a public safety program in which drones function as first responders to 911 calls. Particularly when a police department is personnel-constrained, drones can save officers’ time while enhancing their situational awareness. For example, many burglar alarms are false alarms, maybe set off by moisture or an animal. Rather than sending a patrol officer to drive over to discover this, a drone can get there faster and determine if an officer is required at all. If the alarm is real, the drone can help officers understand the situation, the locations of any perpetrators, and how best to respond. In January, a Skyfire AI drone was returning to base after responding to a false alarm when the police dispatcher asked us to reroute it to help locate a patrol officer. The officer had radioed a few minutes earlier that he had pulled over a suspicious vehicle and had not been heard from since. The officer had stopped where two major highways intersect in a complex cloverleaf, and dispatch was unsure exactly where they were located. From the air, the drone rapidly located the officer and the driver of the vehicle he had pulled over, who it turned out had escaped from a local detention facility. Neither would have been visible from the road — they were fighting in a drainage ditch below the highway. Because of the complexity of the cloverleaf’s geometry, the watch officer (who coordinates police activities for the shift) later estimated it would have taken 5-7 minutes for an officer in a patrol car to find them. From the aerial footage, it appeared that the officer still had his radio, but was losing the fight and unable to reach it to call for help. Further, it looked like the assailant might gain control of his service weapon and use it against him. This was a dire and dangerous situation. Fortunately, because the drone had pinpointed the location of the officer and his assailant, dispatch was able to direct additional units to assist. The first arrived not in 5-7 minutes but in 45 seconds. Four more units arrived within minutes. The officers were able to take control of the situation and apprehend the driver, resulting in an arrest and, more important, a safe outcome for the officer. Subsequently, the watch officer said we’d probably saved the officer’s life. [Reach length limit; full text: https://lnkd.in/g3QdKp5Q ]

Law enforcement faces a critical choice: embrace AI and data science to improve public safety outcomes or risk saving fewer lives. Think about this: A gunshot rings out at 2:00 AM. The traditional process relies on someone hearing it, deciding to call 911, and trying to describe the location from inside their apartment without the benefit of being able to visually confirm the location. (That's assuming they call in the first place—as 80-90% of gunfire goes unreported.) Now imagine an AI-powered response with an audio-recording snippet of the incident. The digital process gives instant detection and the precise location of the gunshot. Officers can now respond minutes faster to the precise location versus driving around the neighborhood in circles. This isn’t science fiction - it's happening today. These AI-powered technologies transform police response and, as a result, save lives and capture and preserve evidence, which is critical in improving case closure rates. AI isn't replacing officers or human judgment either. AI prioritizes the effective use of limited resources where they need to be. Police departments struggling with staff shortages of 15-30% have a golden opportunity to alleviate some of this burden by leveraging AI. It's clear that AI and data science are transforming law enforcement’s ability to prevent crimes and protect communities. Be part of the solution and define the future of public safety. Give public safety leaders better tools to make faster, smarter decisions that save lives.

Stranded on the side of the road? Most people have no idea what to do next. So they call 911. Here’s the problem—most of the time, it’s not a real emergency. It’s a breakdown. A flat tire. A lockout. Something stressful, but not life-threatening. But in a moment of panic, 911 is the only number they remember. For 911 telecommunicators, this leads to a familiar mess: Emergency lines get tied up. True emergencies might have to wait. You lose time on non-critical calls. You have to dig for provider lists or explain that you can’t help. And the stranded caller still doesn’t get the help they need. For a long time, there wasn’t a better way. But now there is. We just launched a new solution with Agero, Inc. that changes how this works. Now, when someone calls 911 for roadside help—and it’s not an emergency—you, the telecommunicator, can send them a secure link in seconds. They’ll be connected to trusted, on-demand roadside assistance. No more call transfers. No more printed tow lists. No more saying “sorry, I can’t help.” It’s all right inside RapidSOS — Fast. Simple. Built into the system you already use. That means: - You stay focused on real emergencies - The caller gets the help they actually need - And roadside assistance becomes part of your public safety toolkit The real win? You get to say “Yes, I can help”—without tying up the line or dispatching unnecessary resources. And your center stays ready for the next true emergency. We will be rolling this capability out over the next few months. Want to learn more? 🎧 Check out the Safety Gap podcast featuring Benjamin Zatlin, VP of Roadside Assistance at Agero.

Next Generation 911 networks allow for the transmission of high-bandwidth files, so citizens in need can share potentially life-saving information with 911 operators through multiple media such as real-time text messages, voice messages, voice-to-text-messages, video streaming, and photo streaming. This increase in situational awareness would enable 911 personnel to respond to emergencies more effectively, resulting in more accurate data sharing between dispatchers and first responders, and more lives saved. When an emergency occurs, getting vital information to first responders at the right time can save lives. This is why investments in NG911 are so important, as they will also improve PSAP ability to help manage call overload, natural disasters, and transferring of 911 calls and proper jurisdictional responses based on location tracking. Investing in NG911 infrastructure is key to keeping New Yorkers safe. Providing our counties and public safety community with funding for fiber connections and a comprehensive solution will lead to the kind of emergency response that residents need and expect.

It’s 911 call centers turn to be transformed by AI… Emergency communications centers across the U.S. are facing a staffing crisis, but AI might offer a solution. New Orleans is pioneering an AI-powered call triage system that's showing promising results. This innovative tool automatically screens incoming 911 calls, diverting redundant reports and freeing up human operators for critical emergencies. It's estimated to be as effective as having two additional full-time staff members on duty. With 82% of call centers reporting chronic staffing shortages, this technology could be a game-changer. It's not just about efficiency - it's about saving lives by reducing response times. As AI continues to evolve, we may see more applications in emergency services, from real-time language translation to improved call routing. What are your thoughts on AI in emergency services? https://lnkd.in/eVVWvpui