Understaffed 911 call centers across the country face the challenge of handling non-emergency calls about issues like stray animals or noise complaints, in addition to their responsibility of addressing urgent reports of medical emergencies, crimes, and even fatalities. In Charleston County, South Carolina, officials have taken a novel approach to tackle this issue by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline non-emergency calls and allow 911 operators to prioritize attending to emergency incidents promptly. Jim Lake, the director of the Charleston County Consolidated Emergency Communications Center, emphasized the importance of focusing on urgent situations, stating, "Our job is to serve the public the best way we can. So, I am not in any way demeaning anyone from the public, but someone who has their favorite cat stuck in a tree, that's an emergency for them as compared to someone who's just been shot. " Lake is part of a group called the "Early Adopters, " consisting of 911 call center leaders across the United States who collaborate and explore the integration of cutting-edge technology into their offices to address staffing shortages, which have long been a challenge in the industry. Seeking to alleviate workload, Lake collaborated with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to incorporate an AI-powered system into their operations. This system, named "Matthew, " is designed to handle administrative, non-emergency calls, enabling human 911 operators to focus on urgent and critical calls. To ensure effectiveness, callers are prompted to select their preferred language and are guided through a brief description of their call. The AI system recognizes predetermined keywords to route the call to the appropriate workflow or transfer it to a human operator if necessary. The goal is to filter out non-urgent calls and ensure that 911 operators are available for high-priority situations.

This innovative solution has been successfully implemented by using AWS' Amazon Connect system. Moreover, the integration of Amazon Connect with an online reporting system called 911HelpMe further optimizes efficiency. Callers receive a link to an online form, simplifying the process of submitting reports. This system allows non-emergency calls to be handled by a specialized workforce, freeing up experienced operators to focus on emergencies such as cardiac arrests, shootings, crimes, and fires. Lake reported that the new system has significantly reduced the number of non-emergency calls handled by human operators, with approximately 40% of animal control calls being directed to the online reporting form. Addressing industry-wide staffing challenges, a recent report from the National Emergency Number Association found that around 82% of 911 call centers across the country are understaffed to some degree, and 75% of operators reported feeling burnt out. Lake expects that it will take approximately another year and a half of using the Amazon Connect tool to fully understand the impact on job retention. While working in a 911 call center can be emotionally demanding, operators typically find the urgency and importance of emergency calls less stressful compared to administrative calls. Lake highlighted the contrasting experiences, mentioning moments of extreme distress like receiving a call from someone contemplating suicide or staying on the line with a victim just before they are killed. On the other hand, operators find fulfillment in assisting callers during childbirth or providing life-saving guidance. However, calls about trivial matters, such as complaints about feral cats, can have a significant impact on operators' emotional well-being. Sign up for our newsletter to stay updated on the latest news from the most influential news source delivered to your inbox every morning.