AI in 911 Call Centers

An article recently shared in the Daily Dispatch discusses the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in a Charleston County 911 call center in South Carolina. The AI is used to streamline non-emergency calls, enabling 911 operators to prioritize dispatching first responders swiftly during emergencies. Chiefs Bob Horton and Jeff Buchanan discussed with the new Fire Headlines host, Samantha Didion, the potential of AI as a solution to staffing shortages. Director of the Charleston County Consolidated Emergency Communication Center, Jim Lake, is a member of the “Early Adopters,” an informal group of 911 call center leaders nationwide. They collaborate to explore the integration of cutting edge technology into their offices amid staffing shortages that have long plagued the industry. Lake teamed up with Amazon Web Services to integrate an AI powered system that can answer administrative non-emergency calls that come through the “7200 number.” Callers who dial the 7200 number are screened by an AI call taker named Matthew, who requests a brief description of their call and forwards them to the appropriate number.