Oneida County Enhances 911 Operations with Two New Public Safety Technology SystemsView

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that the county has launched two new public safety technology platforms in its 911 Dispatch Center, further modernizing operations and improving the county's ability to respond to emergencies and assist residents.

Both systems, built by the public safety technology company Prepared, went live on March 10th and significantly expand the capabilities available to Oneida County's emergency communications specialists.

"Public safety is always our top priority, and these technologies will help our emergency dispatchers remain focused on the calls that require immediate attention," Picente said. "By incorporating these tools into our 911 center, we are improving efficiency, expanding our capabilities and ensuring residents receive help as quickly and effectively as possible."

The first platform introduces an AI-powered non-emergency call handling system designed to assist with routine inquiries that do not require an immediate emergency response. The technology allows the dispatch center to quickly connect non-emergency callers to the appropriate resources while preserving critical personnel and phone capacity for urgent emergencies.

When the public now calls a police department's administrative phone line to request assistance in non-emergency matters and issues that do not require an immediate emergency response, they will be connected to an AI-powered assistant. The assistant will verbally interact with callers, quickly identifying their needs and directing them to the appropriate resources. If an emergency situation is identified, the system will immediately transfer the caller to a 911 operator.

The AI system supports conversations in both English and Spanish, and personnel continue to monitor the non-emergency line to ensure any emergencies are promptly identified. Residents should continue to dial 911 for any emergency.

In addition to the non-emergency triage system, Oneida County has also implemented a real-time communication platform, which provides dispatchers with new tools to communicate directly with callers during emergencies.

Through this platform, dispatchers can send a secure link via text message that allows a caller to livestream video directly from their mobile phone to the 911 center. Participation in video during a call is completely voluntary and requires the caller's consent. If the caller agrees, they can activate live video simply by clicking the link provided by the dispatcher.

The platform also enables two-way texting with callers, allowing dispatchers to communicate even if someone cannot safely speak during an emergency. Text messages can be automatically translated across more than 200 languages, while audio translation is available in 33 languages, helping dispatchers communicate more effectively with residents who speak languages other than English.

It is important to note that the video and texting features do not provide Oneida County with access to the contents or settings of a caller's phone. The system only transmits information that the caller voluntarily shares during the interaction.

The launch of both systems follows several weeks of preparation and training for call-takers, dispatchers and communications staff. Oneida County worked closely with Prepared's customer success team to develop policies and procedures to ensure the technology is used effectively in a variety of scenarios.

"These technologies will be valuable tools for our communications specialists," said Emergency Services Director Fran Manfredo. "Our dispatchers handle a tremendous volume of calls every day. These new capabilities allow us to gather better information during emergencies while also ensuring routine inquiries are handled efficiently so our staff can remain focused on critical incidents."

Prepared is a mission-driven organization focused on improving public safety. After initially developing technology to help mitigate school emergencies, the company identified gaps in traditional 911 systems where valuable information could be lost. Since its public launch in October 2021, Prepared's platform has been adopted by agencies that collectively protect more than 97 million people across 49 states.