Waukesha County in Wisconsin has rolled out an AI system called Ava to manage non-emergency calls. This service not only generates reports on everyday incidents but also ensures that if emergency calls accidentally reach the non-emergency line, they’re directed to a human 911 operator.
According to a report from ABC Wissen, Waukesha County is taking a significant step towards modernizing its dispatch services with Ava, an AI assistant designed specifically for non-emergency inquiries. This approach allows human dispatchers to dedicate their time to serious matters that need immediate attention.
Chris Becker, the operations manager for the Waukesha County Communication Center, noted that Ava represents a substantial shift from traditional methods. He pointed out that the main purpose of introducing Ava is to minimize non-emergency calls, thereby enabling 911 dispatchers to concentrate on real emergencies.
Non-emergency calls can cover a wide array of subjects, such as neighbor disputes or inquiries about local event routes. Becker emphasized, “This is the sort of information we aim to relieve dispatchers from.” When someone calls the non-emergency number in Waukesha County, Ava greets them with, “Hello, my name is Ava, how can I help you?”
A standout feature of AI systems is their capacity to engage with callers similarly to human dispatchers. Callers can communicate with Ava just as they would with a person, and it can manage up to 300 calls at the same time. Ava provides real-time responses and asks follow-up questions to collect more details about the situation.
To test Ava’s abilities, WISN 12 News made two calls to the non-emergency line. The first involved a hypothetical situation with a deer near the road; Ava asked for the deer’s exact location, confirmed that it was not a danger to traffic, and logged a report. In the second scenario, a family member had collapsed. Recognizing the urgency, Ava quickly transferred the call to a human dispatcher.
Ava’s capability to identify when a non-emergency call turns into a genuine emergency is a vital aspect of the system. It searches for critical keywords like “guns” and “weapons,” ensuring that calls needing EMS or fire services are forwarded to a human dispatcher.
At the moment, Waukesha and La Crosse counties are the only ones in Wisconsin employing AI in their dispatch services. However, Becker believes this technology has the potential to expand. “I think this is happening almost everywhere,” he remarked.
The AI system was developed by Aurelian, a company based in Seattle, and its installation in Waukesha County is supported by a grant. As more counties recognize the benefits of AI-assisted dispatching, this technology could become an essential component of emergency response systems nationwide.
