Mexico’s 911 Centers Explore AI to Speed Up Emergency Response

Costa Mujeres, Quintana Roo — Emergency call centers across Mexico could soon use artificial intelligence to gauge a caller’s mood, translate calls in real time and send drones streaming live video from an emergency scene, according to proposals presented at a national 911 conference.

Manuel Villarreal, president of NENA México, the organization that represents 911 operators nationwide and internationally, said this year’s congress centered on how technology can improve response, training and operations at control centers.

He said companies already offer AI tools for 911 systems, including software that automatically translates any language into Spanish, evaluates operator performance and analyzes the sentiment of people requesting help so they receive more specialized attention.

The congress also examines robotics and computer-aided dispatch (CAD), which combines dispatch centers, field personnel, video surveillance, sensor networks and real-time data into a single operating picture. Officials said that would give operators images, precise locations and an analysis of an incident before a patrol car, ambulance or fire crew arrives.

Representatives from Quintana Roo who run the state’s C5 control, command, communications, computing and quality centers are attending the meeting to assess whether the innovations can be applied locally. State officials have reported a 70 percent drop in calls about high-impact crimes and a 50 percent improvement in response times.

The event, organized by NENA 9-1-1 México, brings together more than 500 specialists, security officials and directors of C2, C4 and C5 centers from Mexico’s 32 states, along with delegations from the United States, Colombia, Peru, Chile and other Latin American countries. Companies such as Seguritech are also taking part, presenting situational intelligence and smart dispatch technology.

The 19th International Congress for Emergency Call Centers, held in Costa Mujeres, marks the eighth time the Mexican Caribbean has hosted the gathering. This year’s edition carries added significance because it coincides with the 10th anniversary of 911 as Mexico’s single national emergency number.

According to the organization, the service has evolved from a telephone switchboard into an integrated system that can geolocate calls, coordinate police, paramedics and firefighters in real time and draw on video surveillance cameras.

Organizers said the goal for the next decade is a more interactive 911, staffed by better-trained personnel and equipped with tools that deliver information to first responders before they arrive, using social media, video intelligence and artificial intelligence to reach the public faster and more directly.