Why AI Can’t Replace 911 Operators (Hopefully)
Here in the United States, if you’ve got an emergency, you’re probably calling one of two numbers: 911, or your mother. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the former.
“911, what’s your emergency?”
This is how 911 operators always answer the phone, and I think it’s a good policy. Otherwise, you might have situations like this…
…[Dial tone.]…
“Hello?”
“HELP! The call was coming from inside the house and now some masked psychopath is trying to murder me!”
“I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number. This is Arby’s. May I take your order?”
You may be wondering how my hypothetical victim dialed Arby’s instead of an emergency hotline, and the simple answer is, I have no idea. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is, modern 911 operators know what they’re doing.
You can see it in their choice of question. “What’s your emergency?” Presumptuous, maybe, but also warranted, considering one only calls in dire situations. Surely nobody would ever do something like this…
…[Dial tone.]…
“911, what’s your emergency?”
“Just watching the Giants game. You?”
“This number is for emergencies only.”
