Innovative 911 Solutions for Modern Emergencies

Surface-level “AI-powered for X” or “ChatGPT-wrapper app for Y” pitches are a dime a dozen these days. Digging deeper to find a personal motivation to solve a *real* problem and *genuinely useful* applications of AI (plus any early green shoots that are signs of real traction) is a killer company building combo right now. The Prepared team checked every box for me here back when I led First Round Capital’s investment in their seed round in 2021. And with all of the progress from Michael Chime and team, doubling down for their $27M Series B was a no-brainer. Here’s how they’ve framed their story — whether it’s on the TODAY show or in a fundraising pitch — in a way that I think could be useful for other founders to learn from: ✅  𝗚𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗜 We’re seeing the future of technology unfold every day, but there are “dusty industries” and forgotten corners that are often left behind. 240 million 911 calls take place every year, and the Prepared team is helping these agencies go from legacy, landline-era tech to genuinely useful (and life-saving) applications of AI. One small but powerful feature that will help save lives as an example: Two-way audio translation for 911 calls in Spanish that will automatically translate to English text for the call-taker and be spoken back to the caller through an AI-generated voice. (Right now, most 911 call-takers must conference with a third-party translator and wait for them to join the call, which wastes precious time during an emergency.) ✅ 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 When I asked the co-founders on why they decided to start this company, they told me they all grew up in or around towns with an active shooter — including Sandy Hook. It’s not just some business the founders started for fun. It was born out of painful lived experiences and a deep desire to make the world a better place. ✅ 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 Prepared has scaled from an early demo to working with 16 cities back in 2021 to now partnering with ~1K agencies that help protect around 30% of the U.S. population — every time I hear this stat I’m blown away. 🤯 I fully believe they’re on the right path to push that number up to 100%, saving countless lives in the process — glad they have additional fuel to get there. 🚀 

How about a viable AI use case that positively impacts public safety? We've recently introduced our latest Harmony AI feature, designed to automate alarm calls to 911 Centers. Here is the problem (or safety gap) it aims to solve: => Today, 20-30% of calls to 911 come from alarm companies. => 98%+ of these alarms are FALSE (not a typo). => 911 centers have staffing shortages of ~30% on average. => Alarm calls can be put on hold when shortages are severe. => These calls are projected to grow to > 50% by 2027. One could argue that the status quo isn’t sustainable. What we aim to solve: The standard operating procedures for handling alarm calls are fairly structured. To streamline this process, we leverage AI to answer these calls, gather relevant information, and then summarize and package it into a digital alert that is processed without needing 911 telecommunicator involvement. Early results are encouraging: => 50-80% of alarm calls can be processed automatically. => This means 10-24% of all calls are processed automatically. => Freeing up critical capacity for overworked and understaffed centers. => While also eliminating hold times when present. Multiple fail-safes are included to ensure the 911 telecommunicator is still in control. For example, the technology is only used on alarm calls, not 911 emergency calls. The ECC can tailor the technology to its protocols. The AI repeats information for alarm operator confirmation, and the telecommunicator can listen to recorded answers as needed. Why should you care? I believe we would rather have 911 telecommunicators focus on emergency calls from our family, friends, and colleagues than be distracted by alarm calls that are often FALSE. The safety and security technologies we rely on, personally and professionally, aren't truly 'intelligent' when identifying verified emergencies. This can lead to unintended consequences and a false sense of security. Without a better solution, the situation will only get worse in the coming years, putting more pressure on an already constrained and under-appreciated public safety network. We believe that by combining artificial and human intelligence, we make the heroes who work every day to keep us safe superheroes. The job isn’t done, as the downstream implications of false alarms on those who respond to the calls are still a problem. But one step at a time. Check out the first comment to learn more.

It’s 911 call centers turn to be transformed by AI… Emergency communications centers across the U.S. are facing a staffing crisis, but AI might offer a solution. New Orleans is pioneering an AI-powered call triage system that's showing promising results. This innovative tool automatically screens incoming 911 calls, diverting redundant reports and freeing up human operators for critical emergencies. It's estimated to be as effective as having two additional full-time staff members on duty. With 82% of call centers reporting chronic staffing shortages, this technology could be a game-changer. It's not just about efficiency - it's about saving lives by reducing response times. As AI continues to evolve, we may see more applications in emergency services, from real-time language translation to improved call routing. What are your thoughts on AI in emergency services? https://lnkd.in/eVVWvpui