Drones, AI bring new resources to emergency management
The use of drones and artificial intelligence in emergency services is still new, but it’s already being used in Butler County.
Technological advancements at the Butler County 911 center have improved everything from the quality of radio calls to the information first responders can access at a scene, but the use technology could further improve the way emergencies are handled and the way dispatchers are prepared for the job.
Conrad Pfeifer, a police officer with Middlesex Township, said drones can currently be used to search for suspects on the run or to help track down a missing elderly person, or they could be used to get an overhead view of a crash scene.
Meanwhile, another advancement — artificial intelligence, or AI — is beginning to make its presence known in the 911 field, too. It can be used to gather information or train new dispatchers.
“We could sit someone at a console and allow AI to run them through programs to see how they do,” Rob McLafferty, the county’s 911 coordinator and deputy director, said. “They wouldn’t be allowed to advance until they meet a certain level of efficiency.”
Another example of where AI might come into play is to act in a “Big Brother” way, listening to incoming calls the call takers are fielding and then automatically transcribing and double-checking the accuracy of the information that’s being shared, said Steve Bicehouse, the county’s director of emergency services for the past 12½ years.
“For example, the call taker might have said, ‘You live at 123 Main St.,’ but AI heard ‘321 Main St.,’ Bicehouse said. ”They might need to double-check. That’s an advancement for the future.”
AI might also come into play when helping callers who speak limited English. Currently, a system called LanguageLine is used, and people can call for a translator, but with the advancement of AI, it might be able to take on some of the translation duties.
“It won’t go away, but we might see the need for live translators diminish with AI,” McLafferty said.
As one might expect, training is a major part of the telecommunicators’ world. All telecommunicators must complete a course that spans more than 40 hours, and once they finish, they must spend three to six months in training before they’re permitted to answer a call on their own.
“It takes a special person for sure,” Bicehouse said.
McLafferty said the county has 20 full-time telecommunicator positions that soon will expand to 22, and another seven part-time positions. Telecommunicators generally work eight- or 12-hour shifts and are capable of handling both the call taker and dispatcher positions.
“All of our dispatchers have a public service background, which is different from most places,” McLafferty said. “Some just hire people off the street and train them to be 911 operators. All of our folks have previously worked or are currently working as a first responder in the field.”
While some jurisdictions see fairly high turnover — in part due to the stress associated with the job — Butler has been fairly fortunate, McLafferty said.
“We just had two individuals retire with 31 years of service and a third with 25 years,” he said. “We don’t have quite the turnover that other places have.”
The telecommunicators need to know how to handle all the high-tech gadgets and equipment that fill the 911 center.
“Technology is integral to everything we do here,” McLafferty said. “It’s ever-evolving, and we want to evolve with it. But as integral as technology is, our most important asset is our personnel. They are highly trained, very computer- and tech-savvy public safety experts.
“Our team is truly the first, first responders. When someone calls for help, that’s who’s giving them the help. They’re getting help right away. They start the care of the patient prior to anyone arriving, and they continue to provide that care until the providers arrive.”
This article first appeared in an edition of Butler County Business Matters.
