Three myths of video to 911

Video on the 9-1-1 call is coming. In many places around the United States, it's already here. Like anything new, many people are unfamiliar and uneasy about the idea of video and how it might impact emergency processes and public safety as a whole.

Last week, a panel of four 9-1-1 industry experts convened to discuss the topic. They outlined and addressed a number of the public's concerns, thoughts, and questions. Some of these are legitimate worries that should be addressed by leading vendors. Others, however, are based far more in skepticism than reality.

For this piece, I've chosen three of the most common myths and will explain why PSAPs and their leaders need not worry about them. Let's dive in:

Myth #1: Video can only be used on a small percentage of calls

Of the negative sentiment surrounding video on the 9-1-1 call, much of it is based in this idea: that video is only useful for a very small percentage of emergencies. The fact of the matter is, while video can be used for many of the "high-profile", severe emergencies like fires or medical triage, it can be used in so many other ways. At its core, video is a tool that can help dispatchers save time, effort, and, most importantly, lives.

Here are some of the cases we've seen Prepared network centers use video for: 

• 911 hangups
• Locating lost dogs
• Locating lost persons (caller and others)
• Identification of chemical gas leakage
• Discovery and identification of latent dynamite
• Home electrical panel issues
• Welfare and wellness checks
• Hostage situations
• Natural disasters

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. New use cases for video are discovered every day in our centers and some of the best saves come from dispatchers that were able to effectively leverage video alongside other features of Prepared Live (including text, media sharing, and GPS location).

Myth #2: Video will only bog down my workflow

911 dispatchers operate under extreme duress on a daily basis. They have a variety of tools and tasks to juggle as they receive call after call throughout the day. Video can be an incredible tool for dispatchers to increase their efficiency. And don't just take that from us: 

• On last week's webinar, a poll was sent out to the attendees: "Do you think video can help your efficiency as a dispatcher?"
• 100% of attendees replied Yes

Further, the Prepared Live experience is entirely dispatcher-led. Dispatchers in the Prepared Network have a wealth of experience to lean on; they use this knowledge to determine when video can be helpful and when it isn't.

Certain PSAPs may mandate that video be used during specific emergencies, and Prepared provides a sample SOP for them to build from, but, generally speaking, the dispatcher is in control.

Myth #3: I'm going to have to see video that I don't want to see

When a caller dials in their emergency, you can never quite be sure what's actually going on on the other end of the line. With video, that changes - but that doesn't mean you have to see everything.

Prepared Live enables the dispatcher to blur video by default OR while a livestream is ongoing. Importantly, the video is still archived for access as evidence. Directors and supervisors have the ability to make blur a default setting across their PSAP or to leave it up to the individual dispatcher.

Plus, as mentioned earlier, the choice to request video as at the discretion of the dispatcher.

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These are just a few of the myths surrounding video on the 911 call. While video is still new, and not perfected, it can be a lifesaving addition to your PSAP.

Want to add video to your 911 center? Book a demo with a member of the Prepared team!