Emergency Communications Week looks at how dispatch is changing — from smarter tools and automated routine tasks to new approaches that reduce unnecessary 911 demand. Together, these pieces show how agencies are improving safety, efficiency and real-time awareness for dispatchers, strengthening their role as first responders.
Learn how modern towing workflows can cut response times and clear scenes faster
THE MENTAL LOAD OF DISPATCH
Just because 911 dispatchers don’t witness trauma first-hand doesn’t mean they are not potentially vulnerable to the stressful aftermath
Wellness programs are expanding as dispatch centers race to adopt artificial intelligence, new tech tools and stronger retention models
Subtle shifts in thinking add up to big results, offering greater levels of resilience to draw from during challenging times
What Outagamie County’s purpose-built 911 center reveals about resilience, technology readiness and dispatcher well-being
Amid a nationwide staffing shortage, learn how you can support the lifesaving role of public safety dispatchers – the FIRST first responders
A discussion of the groundbreaking findings of Carbyne’s “Pulse of 9-1-1 State of the Industry Survey” and the state of the emergency communications profession
60-second sitting stretch for dispatchers
Dispatchers spend long hours seated, focused and under pressure, which can lead to neck, shoulder and back tension. In this video, Lexipol Senior Strategic Wellness Director Mandy Nice demonstrates a simple seated stretch designed to relieve stiffness, improve posture and provide a quick physical and mental reset during the workday.
ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NEWS & INSIGHTS
The program’s primary purpose is to redirect suicidal calls from emergency responders to mental health professionals
Okla. officers on leave over April Fools’ Day 911 call falsely reporting baby thrown from car window
Oklahoma City dispatchers reportedly sent officers to the location of the call before learning it was a hoax
“Swatting is a reckless abuse of the 911 system that diverts life-saving resources away from those truly in need,” Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins stated
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office’s AI tool will answer and categorize calls to the non-emergency line before transferring the caller to a dispatcher or an external agency
A woman called 911 after her husband pointed a gun at her; on the other end was Kelly Prentice, communications manager for Northampton County, who put her de-escalation training into action
Body camera footage shows an EMS dispatcher railing against Harford County deputies, expressing that she hoped they were killed and that “nobody likes cops”
The new tools synthesize 911 audio, video and radio data into a unified intelligence thread designed to speed response, improve accuracy, and reduce workload for dispatchers and first responders while preserving human oversight