Fairfax County

For more than half a century, the mission of 911 has remained remarkably consistent: answer every call, gather critical information and get the right resources to the right place as quickly as possible. While that mission has never changed, the tools available to emergency communications professionals are evolving faster than at any point since the creation of 911 in 1968.

Our mission remains the same. Our tools are next generation.

Artificial intelligence represents the next evolution of emergency communications. Despite the headlines, AI is not replacing 911 dispatchers. It is empowering them. By reducing repetitive tasks, organizing vast amounts of information and delivering actionable intelligence in real time, AI enables 911 professionals to make faster, more informed decisions when every second counts.

Today’s emergency communications centers manage far more than voice calls. Text-to-911 messages, live video, photographs, automatic crash notifications, wearable devices, alarms and increasingly sophisticated location data can all arrive simultaneously. AI helps organize, prioritize and interpret this growing volume of information, allowing 911 dispatchers to focus on what matters most: helping people in crisis.

Assisting Non-English 911 Callers

One of AI’s most immediate benefits is real-time transcription. Dispatchers and first responders can now follow conversations as they unfold, allowing critical details to be identified more quickly while reducing cognitive workload during high-stress incidents. AI is also helping agencies better serve diverse communities through real-time language translation, reducing delays and improving communication with non-English-speaking callers during the critical first moments of an emergency.

AI Bots Handling Non-Emergency Calls 

AI is also transforming how agencies interact with the public before a 911 dispatcher even answers the phone. AI-powered virtual assistants can handle routine administrative calls, answer common questions, direct callers to the appropriate government agency and process certain non-emergency reports. Every routine interaction handled by AI allows highly trained emergency communications professionals to remain focused on life-threatening emergencies.

Drones First on Scene

Perhaps the most exciting advancement is that AI is no longer confined to the communications centers. It is becoming the connective link between 911, Real-Time Crime Centers (RTCCs), Drone as First Responder (DFR) programs and field responders.

"Artificial intelligence represents the next evolution of emergency communications. Despite the headlines, AI is not replacing 911 dispatchers."

In Fairfax County, Virginia, the Department of Public Safety Communications has partnered with the Fairfax County Police Department and Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department to integrate AI directly into emergency response. AI continuously transcribes 911 calls in real time. When appropriate, RTCC personnel are immediately notified, allowing Drone as First Responder resources to launch while dispatchers continue gathering information and sending police, fire or EMS units.

Instead of waiting for each stage of the response process to occur sequentially within the 911 center, dispatchers, RTCC analysts, drone operators and first responders now work simultaneously. By the time responders are en route, drones may already be overhead providing live aerial intelligence, giving personnel greater situational awareness before arriving on scene.

Quality Assurance and Training

AI’s value extends well beyond active incidents. Communications centers are beginning to use artificial intelligence to strengthen quality assurance, identify training opportunities, analyze operational trends, support workforce management and reduce administrative burdens. Rather than manually reviewing only a small sample of 911 calls, agencies can identify trends across thousands of interactions, improving coaching, consistency and service delivery.

Training is another area where AI is creating significant opportunities. AI-driven simulations can create realistic, dynamic callers that respond naturally to trainees’ questions and decisions. Every scenario unfolds differently, allowing new dispatchers to experience a broader range of emergencies while instructors evaluate communication skills, decision-making and protocol compliance in a safe learning environment.

As AI capabilities continue to expand, one principle remains unchanged: people make the decisions. Artificial intelligence cannot replace the judgment, compassion and experience of a 911 professional, nor can it comfort someone experiencing the worst day of their life.

AI is a member of the team. 

Instead, AI serves as another member of the public safety team, analyzing information, identifying patterns, automating routine tasks and delivering relevant intelligence within seconds. When combined with highly trained professionals, strong public safety partnerships and a commitment to innovation, AI enables faster, smarter and safer emergency response.

The next evolution of 911 is AI. A 911 center’s greatest strength, however, will always be the professionals who answer the call.