CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. — Chesterfield first responders are seeing major success in the inaugural year of new cell phone video technology in 911 calls, helping both emergency crews and those in crisis situations.
New technology has transformed how dispatchers handle these calls at Chesterfield’s Emergency Communication Center. For the past nine months, the department has utilized "Prepared 911," which allows callers to grant dispatchers temporary access to their phone's front camera with a single click.
"We're often tasked with painting a picture for first responders before they get there," said Tyler, a dispatcher.
Users can also opt to send photos or videos through the link instead of live streaming, and there is a safer option for those in compromising situations. These added details have increased safety for first responders.
"They know what they're getting into," said Tommy Tucker, Director of the Emergency Communication Center.
The technology has also improved the accuracy with which dispatchers assign resources.
"If the call says it's a trailer on fire, what does that mean? Is it a trailer that you haul things with, or a camper? In one case, we could see that the camper was on fire, but it was away from the house, and there was no one in the camper. We can relay that information to the responding units," Tucker explained.
This advancement allows teams to focus on other emergencies while reducing the county's response costs.
"If we can see that it's an outside fire and not near a residence, we can reduce the response to a single unit," Tucker said.
Tucker acknowledged the biggest challenge is getting people comfortable with passing over temporary access.
"People are often very leery about allowing someone else access to their camera or phone," he said.
But he assures the public they don't have the ability to take over anyone's phone because they don't have access to their settings, and once the person hangs up, the call ends.
Officials hope with awareness people will see this critical tool can alter outcomes in moments where every detail counts.
"It lets them know that we're connected. We're seeing what they're seeing. We understand what they're telling us, and we can ask clarifying questions. So it makes the call a whole lot better," Tucker said.
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