ATLANTA — The City of Atlanta is enhancing its emergency response capabilities thanks to updated technology now present in its 911 center.
The new system, Carbyne, went live back at the end of May and "collects and integrates rich media with data from the caller and presents it in a unified interface."
Essentially, this means those taking your 911 call can receive a precise location for where you are, see live video, chat via text, etc., all in an attempt to gather valuable information from callers.
First responders are additionally able to share information in real-time, thanks to a "Video WallBoard," which allows dispatchers to track and manage emergency situations better, according to a release from Atlanta Police.
They add that the system enables 911 call centers and first responders to have better situational awareness and more quickly and accurately assess and respond to incidents.
According to APD, in the month of June, E-9-1-1 Communications Division managed:
● Total Events: 44,640
● Carbyne Events: 27,027 with location
● Video Events: 170
● Chat Sessions: 38
● Snapshots Received: 44
"The adoption of the Carbyne's Platform is significantly boosting our emergency response capabilities, making the City of Atlanta a safer place to live, work, and visit. By equipping our call takers with more accurate, complete information in real-time, we are not only speeding up our response times but also ensuring our dispatchers can respond more precisely and efficiently at a time when they are under-staffed and constantly stressed," E911 Director Desiree Arnold said in a statement. "Our goal is to ensure that the necessary aid reaches the exact location when it's most needed, and thanks to Carbyne's innovative technology, we're poised to accomplish this with greater efficiency and effectiveness than ever."
Operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Atlanta's 911 center covers an area of 133 square miles, with approximately 500,000 residents living inside.