Mission-critical challenges

911. Three numbers that can mean the difference between life and death during an emergency. When someone dials 911, a complex network of technology, resources, and people are activated to respond. 911 calls are automatically routed to the nearest emergency communications center (ECC), based on the caller’s proximity to cell towers in the area. These ECCs are staffed 24/7 to answer incoming emergency calls. Every year, 240 million calls are directed to trained 911 professionals who assess the severity of the situation, gather relevant information, and help dispatch police, fire, or emergency medical services (EMS).¹ 911 professionals play a critical role in our emergency response system. However, behind the scenes, ECCs face significant challenges due to a lack of technological advancements tailored to their needs, growing communication barriers, and staffing shortages.

Dated technology 

Established in 1967, ECCs are federally and state mandated to ensure emergency services are available for any caller. While there have been incremental upgrades to ECCs over the past 50+ years, the pace of innovation has been slow. Most ECCs still feature landline or “legacy” technology today, yet 80% of 911 calls originate from wireless devices.² This makes it challenging for 911 professionals to collect crucial “next-generation” data such as location, photos, and videos. 911 professionals are then tasked with relaying all relevant information to police, fire, or EMS so they can determine which field resources should respond to the emergency. Key details can be shared as often as two or three times over the phone before field responders even arrive on scene. With this chain of communication, any gap or inaccuracy in information can quickly have significant—or even life-threatening—consequences.

Communication barriers

To add to the high-stakes game of telephone, language barriers are increasingly common between callers and 911 telecommunicators. Per recent estimates, about 22% of people in the U.S. over the age of 5 speak a language other than English at home, including those who speak English as a second language. If translation is required during an emergency, ECCs often outsource to a third-party provider. It can take several minutes to connect a caller with a translator—critical time in the middle of an emergency. This service is typically charged by the minute and can be surprisingly expensive. 911 professionals may also opt to patch in a police officer, usually on active duty, to translate the call in real time. This also creates a three-way feedback loop that delays response times in emergency situations.

Staffing shortages

With significant infrastructure challenges and growing call complexity, it is not surprising that ECCs are facing a major staffing crisis. The day-to-day demands on public safety telecommunicators—low pay, high stress, burnout, and overnight and holiday shifts—drive attrition that far exceeds restaffing rates. According to a survey by the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) and the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch (IAED) revealed a 25% average vacancy rate in ECCs across America, with 105 agencies experiencing vacancy rates higher than 50% (data from 2019 to 2022).³

The future of emergency systems with Prepared

Prepared founders Michael Chime, Neal Soni, and Dylan Gleicher are on a mission to bring today’s best technology to emergency response. Their assistive, AI-powered platform is designed to radically reduce emergency response times, improve outcomes for citizens, and keep our field responders safer. 

The right information, right away

Apple’s Emergency SOS Live Video, powered by Prepared, integrates directly with Apple iOS devices, allowing 911 callers to natively share livestream video, photos, texts, and location with 911 professionals. This provides more accurate information about the situation and helps operators dispatch the appropriate field responders. Non-iOS callers can receive a text that connects them to Prepared’s web portal with the same functionality. This helps dispatchers reduce call processing times and equips field responders with the multimodal data required to drive safer outcomes during emergency situations.

Streamlined communication

With two-way audio and text translation, Prepared Assist enables ECCs to communicate in real-time with callers, dramatically increasing the speed and accuracy of emergency service dispatches without relying on third-party translators. 

Prepared can also rapidly alert ECC supervisors of critical situations based on keyword recognition or detection of violence. 

Greater efficiency

Prepared enables 911 professionals to centralize, analyze, and prioritize critical data, allowing them to focus on the most urgent needs. For instance, Prepared Assist streamlines mandated QA and post-call reporting, freeing up valuable time and reducing the workload on 911 professionals.

During our very first customer call we spoke with an administrator whose ECC helped save a young boy’s life. When the boy called for help, he was in crisis, but not forthcoming about the situation. Using Prepared’s technology, the 911 professional was able to identify the boy’s location, assess his injuries through live video, and dispatch emergency medical responders immediately. When emergency services arrived, they were prepared to administer critical, life-saving treatment. As we spent more time with the Prepared team, we discovered that this was one of many instances where Prepared was driving real outcomes for citizens and field responders alike. Explore more examples of these incredible outcomes.

We believe Prepared is driving a paradigm shift in how emergency services are delivered. By bridging the technology gap between callers, 911 professionals, and field responders, Prepared is transforming an outdated system into one that is highly coordinated, data-driven, and efficient. Prepared’s AI-driven capabilities support overburdened 911 professionals, minimize response times, and ensure that field responders are better equipped with the situational awareness they need to keep themselves and citizens safe.

We are very impressed by the life-saving product that Michael, Neal, and Dylan are building, and we are incredibly proud to support them in their journey to revolutionize emergency communications.