AI-powered 911 technology changing emergency response across metro Atlanta

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries ranging from healthcare to transportation. Now, it's changing how 911 call centers respond to emergencies across metro Atlanta, helping dispatchers locate callers faster, communicate across language barriers and, in some cases, save lives before first responders even arrive.

The technology is called RapidSOS, an AI-powered emergency communications platform now being used by several Georgia emergency communications centers, such as Atlanta, Fulton, Cobb and Forsyth counties.

The goal is straightforward: reduce response times and give dispatchers more information during the critical first moments of an emergency.

A decade ago, emergency dispatchers often struggled to pinpoint a caller's exact location, especially when calls came from cellphones. Today, RapidSOS integrates directly with smartphones and other connected devices, providing precise location data to 911 operators almost instantly.

"If you go back in time about 10 years ago on a 911 call, they might not have any location," said Karin Marquez, chief public safety brand officer for RapidSOS. "When you dial 911, that location information and additional information about the person is delivered through our platform out to public safety."

The system does far more than provide coordinates. Emergency callers can now send live video to dispatchers, allowing operators to see what's happening in real time. During a medical emergency, dispatchers can visually guide CPR or other life-saving measures.  In a fire, they can assess conditions before firefighters arrive. During a vehicle crash, they can better understand the severity of injuries and damage.

At Atlanta's 911 Communications Center, officials say the technology is already making a measurable difference.

"Seconds. Minutes. Because they do count when you're speaking in emergency terms," said Lisa Henley, deputy director of operations for the Atlanta 911 Communications Center, when asked how much time the system can save during a routine emergency call.

The platform also provides language translation services, an increasingly valuable feature as Atlanta welcomes visitors from around the world, including the influx of international travelers tied to FIFA Men's World Cup events. Officials say the system can support dozens of simultaneous voice translations and hundreds of text-based translations.

Another key feature assists callers who cannot safely speak.

"We have the option of sending them messages via text," Henley said.

That capability can be especially important in domestic violence situations, kidnappings or other emergencies where speaking could put someone at greater risk.

Henley recalled one case in which a kidnapping victim became disconnected during a 911 call.  Dispatch supervisors initiated a text conversation, and the victim responded. Using location information generated through the platform, dispatchers were able to track the victim's movements and help locate her.

RapidSOS also enables users to voluntarily share medical information through connected applications, allowing dispatchers and first responders to receive details about health conditions, allergies, or other critical information before arriving on scene.

But perhaps one of the platform's most significant innovations happens outside traditional emergency response systems.

RapidSOS can connect emergencies to nearby certified first-aid providers and trained responders in the community, alerting them to incidents occurring nearby and providing location information before ambulances arrive.  In cardiac arrests and other time-sensitive emergencies, those minutes can mean the difference between life and death.

"RapidSOS essentially is embedded into devices, into panic buttons, into everything that we use as community members today," Marquez said.

As artificial intelligence continues reshaping public safety, emergency officials emphasize that the technology is not replacing dispatchers.  Instead, it is providing them with more information, faster access to callers and new ways to communicate during emergencies.

For the people answering 911 calls, that's the ultimate goal.

Because when someone is facing the worst moment of their life, every second matters.