VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — For a little more than a month Virginia Beach Emergency Communications and Citizen Services (ECCS) have been using a new type of Artificial intelligence technology called Amazon Connect to assist 911 dispatchers.
It utilizes voice response technology similar to Amazon Alexa to provide faster response times for citizens.
The job of a 911 dispatcher can be fast-paced and stressful.
In the past when you dial the city's nonemergency number at (757) 385 - 5000 you would be connected to a live dispatcher.
A dispatcher who was also taking emergency calls.
Since the start of April that changed with the rollout of this new software.
Now when you call the nonemergency line a verbal assistant will provide answers for residents who may be looking to file a police report or get a hold of animal control
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"The more that we can take off of the 911 call takers and allow this technology to work, it's also going to help us improve our 911 answering time," Jada Lee, director of ECCS, said.
Lee said right now like many 911 centers across the country Virginia Beach is also experiencing a staffing shortage.
"Right now today we have 33 vacancies in 911," Lee said. "We have a total of 96 full-time employees so you figure we're about a third short right now."
Lee said that's why they are trying to give every employee every possible tool in the toolbox to make sure they don't experience fatigue.
Mickie Anderson, a nurse in Virginia Beach, said she thinks rolling out the program is a win-win for everyone.
"Somebody who needs help nonemergently, they can get assistance from that AI technology to help them assist them," Anderson said. "Then that care that needs to go to the person that needs the emergency is sufficiently handled."
Lee said since the program went live at the start of April it's processed over 12,500 calls and its responses will continue to improve as it takes more calls.
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The software will also prompt you to talk to a 911 dispatcher if you use certain words like fire.
If you realize your nonemergency is actually an emergency while on the line, you can say 'operator' and the program will connect you with a dispatcher.
Lee said right now Virginia Beach is the only city using the program in Hampton Roads but believes it won't be the last.
"I think you're going to find more and more 911 centers utilizing the technology that's available to them," Lee said.
