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COG discusses text‑to‑911, AI triage demos and facilities as dispatch staffing holds steady
Summary
Dispatch leadership reported no received text‑to‑911 messages yet, described county demos of an AI tool for nonemergency triage, and said staffing stands at 15 full‑time dispatchers with two part‑timers in training; the board asked for facility cost options in March.
The South Summit dispatch manager told the council the center has enabled text‑to‑911 but has not yet received any texts and asked members to reserve the service for true emergencies or for callers who cannot talk. "It's supposed to be for a true emergency when you cannot talk, when you cannot communicate easily, or for the hearing or deaf impaired," Leslie said.
Leslie also described multiple demonstrations of an AI vendor for nonemergency call triage. She said the system asks the same questions dispatchers would, can detect voice inflection and route callers to a human dispatcher when a call appears to be an emergency. "It's actually pretty amazing," she said after watching a demo, and added the 911 fund approval would allow counties to consider broader use. Board members repeatedly emphasized the tool is intended to help personnel, not replace them. "We do not see this as a replacement for personnel," one committee member said; the point was echoed by Leslie and others who described AI as a tool to improve surge capacity.
On staffing, Leslie reported the center is operating with 15 full‑time dispatchers and five part‑time staff (two in training expected to conclude early next year). "I'm very proud of our staff," Leslie said, noting operational tightness in the dispatch room and limited storage.
Board members then discussed facility options to reduce crowding, including an addition to the current building or constructing a new facility, and considered whether the COG should pursue a backup location partnership with Summit County so the county could house redundant staffed positions. Members asked the dispatch board to evaluate expansion or new‑facility options and return with costed proposals in March.
The council did not adopt any formal action on AI procurement or facility construction at the meeting; members asked for further information and policy considerations about oversight and human supervision before any procurement decisions.
