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9‑1‑1 directors warn staffing still tight; pilot AI training used to speed COVID‑era‑long dispatch training
Summary
Emergency Communications (9‑1‑1) told the finance committee it has cut mandatory overtime through hiring and vendor support, is using an AI‑driven simulator to shorten training time, and still needs about 26 floor staff to reach preferred staffing levels.
Director Mike Soretta told the finance committee that Rochester’s Emergency Communications center (9‑1‑1) has cut the volume of forced overtime compared with last year by changing how recruits are trained, using a temporary vendor to cover peak shifts and outreach to recruit city residents.
Soretta said the center remains short of its target by roughly 26 floor personnel. He described a multipronged strategy: speed up training by using a new AI‑driven simulation platform that generates realistic practice calls from anonymized real calls; partner with state programs to fast‑track candidates; run staged classes and internships with local schools and summer candidates; and bring in a vetted third‑party vendor to provide temporary floor coverage on peak shifts.
Nut graf: 9‑1‑1 leaders told council they have reduced the burden of mandated doubles and improved recruit throughput, but the center still needs about two dozen hires to reach the level of staffing that minimizes overtime and preserves morale.
AI and training: Soretta described an AI simulation pilot that produces synthetic 9‑1‑1 call scenarios (audio, background noise and scripted variables) derived from anonymized local calls and then grades trainee responses on policy‑based checklists. He said recruits who trained on the simulator reached floor readiness faster and that the tool lets the center reinsert struggling trainees into practice scenarios rather than immediately removing them from certification. Soretta said the AI pilot has produced about 450 simulated calls used in training.
Staffing and recruitment: The center is reducing processing time for new hires by using state hiring programs and by bringing some components of the hiring process (background, psych exam scheduling) in‑house. Soretta said one class started in January with more classes planned for August and December; the telecommunicator‑to‑dispatcher pipeline still requires about 10–11 months of combined on‑the‑job and formal training for full certification.
Vendor coverage: To reduce forced overtime, the department contracted a specialized vendor to supply vetted temporary operators; the center budget includes vendor funding but supervisors said they expect to cancel vendor usage as in‑house hiring improves.
Why it matters: 9‑1‑1 staffing levels set the city’s ability to answer emergencies quickly. Council members pressed for quarterly overtime reporting, more transparency around hiring projections and a public list of Wi‑Fi/guest‑access sites so callers know alternate options for non‑emergency needs.
Ending: Director Soretta and staff agreed to provide quarterly overtime reports and timing for additional recruit classes; councilors asked for continued outreach to recruit from city neighborhoods and for an update on the 9‑1‑1 app pilot and timeline.
