Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is being integrated into 911 emergency call centers to help alleviate the strain on operators who are facing burnout due to understaffing issues.
A study conducted by the National Emergency Number Association revealed that 82% of 911 call centers in the United States are understaffed, and 75% of operators reported feeling burned out.
According to Walden University, approximately 240 million emergency calls are made in the country each year, averaging around 600,000 calls per day. Recognizing the urgent need for assistance, the North Central Texas Emergency Communications District, which oversees 40 emergency call centers in Texas, has begun implementing AI technology to support operators and monitor their mental health.
Christy Williams, the Director of NCT911, emphasized the importance of the human element in emergency response, stating, "People are at the forefront of 911, and our 911 telecommunicators, the people who answer the calls, are such valuable assets, but we're putting them in a bad situation on a daily basis. They are communicating with people in the worst moments of their lives, and they are in situations that don't end well and are very traumatic."
Williams further explained the toll that constant exposure to distressing calls can have on operators, saying, "As a 911 telecommunicator, you might spend 45 minutes on a suicide call, hang up, and immediately that phone rings and you have to pick it up and say, '911, where's your emergency?' and start working all over again. And over time, this can really create some severe mental health issues."
To address these challenges, NCT911 has partnered with Amazon's subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, to test an AI system that will monitor operators' calls and identify stressful conversations. The technology will listen for specific keywords or detect changes in the caller's tone of voice to determine higher levels of stress. The goal is to flag tragic calls and alert supervisors when an operator may need to take a break.
Williams believes that this AI system could revolutionize the work environment and protect the mental health of operators. She explained, "People reach burnout or suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder based on what they're faced with every day. So we are working with AWS and looking to find solutions to track calls and the telecommunicators that answer them so that a supervisor would know that 'hey, this individual has had five bad calls today or this week.'"
In addition to addressing mental health concerns, AI technology can also help overcome language barriers. Carbyne, a software company, has developed a system that automatically translates Spanish to English for 911 operators, eliminating the need to transfer calls to a translator and saving valuable time.
Furthermore, AI-powered technology has the potential to analyze previously transcribed situations and provide operators with potential responses to their current calls. This capability was demonstrated by the Glenview Public Safety Dispatch Center in Glenview, Illinois, which introduced an AI system to assist in training 911 operators.
By leveraging AI's ability to quickly analyze large data sets, emergency call centers can enhance their quality control processes. Currently, most 911 call centers only review approximately 2% of conversations. Implementing AI technology would enable a more comprehensive review, ensuring that operators are providing the best possible assistance to callers in need.
As the demand for emergency services continues to rise, integrating AI technology into 911 call centers offers a promising solution to address the challenges faced by operators. By providing support, monitoring mental health, and streamlining operations, AI has the potential to revolutionize emergency response and improve outcomes for both operators and callers in distress.
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