What My First National NENA Conference Taught Me About the Future of 9-1-1

By Special Guest Author

Kelly Eckley

911 Communications Officer II, Riverside County Sheriff's Office

Over the course of my 20-year career as a 9-1-1 dispatcher, there have been a few major technological changes. There was the transition from landline phones to cell phones and the introduction of text-to-911, but in general, technology has remained relatively stagnant.

Well, I just got back from my first National Emergency Number Association (NENA) conference, and I have to say that’s no longer the case. Before this, I had only attended my local NENA chapter conference. That smaller conference was a great experience, and it made me excited to attend the national conference. I didn’t realize just how different it would be.

I got my first glimpse of the new technology before my flight even landed in Columbus, Ohio. My seatmate was also traveling to the conference as a sales engineer. He explained that he was responsible for assembling the system his company would be demonstrating. He had designed a fully functional setup so conference-goers could experience the entire workflow, from receiving a 9-1-1 call all the way through to its resolution. It sounded impressive, and I was eager to see it in action in the Expo Hall.

Before my trip, I had been hesitant about spending much time in the Expo Hall. I’m not involved in purchasing decisions at my department, so I assumed there wouldn’t be much there for me. I was definitely wrong about that.

I entered the Expo Hall with a little trepidation on the first morning. It was nothing like the one at my local chapter conference. The hall was easily four times larger, and some of the booths were massive. On one side of the hall, a company had brought an entire mobile command post with them. On the other, there was a stage that hosted three presentations at one time, with audience members listening in through Bluetooth headphones. It was overwhelming and exciting at the same time.

I felt pretty familiar with AI and its potential uses in emergency response, but I still wasn’t prepared for the number of AI tools that are already on the market. I watched a demonstration of a live AI radio transcription system that essentially provided closed captioning for radio traffic with less than a two-second delay. It transcribed even difficult-to-understand transmissions with remarkable accuracy.

I also interacted with an AI-assisted records management system that could pull information from multiple sources into one easy-to-read dashboard. Instead of switching between different systems, users could see everything in a single interface. The same system offered employee wellness tools. By monitoring factors like keyword triggers and call-volume statistics, it could alert supervisors when an employee might need support after experiencing a high-stress situation.

All the major 9-1-1 technology companies had large booths and elaborate displays, but some of the most interesting technology came from smaller companies. One offered AI scheduling software that used an Emergency Communication Center’s (ECC) call data to predict call volume and schedule employees more efficiently. I also saw a program that allows law enforcement officers in the field or firefighters responding to an emergency to hear live 9-1-1 calls as they are received in the ECC.

The most impactful experience, however, was interacting with an AI non-emergency call-diversion system. My experiences calling customer service lines and fighting with automated systems, while demanding to speak to a representative have made me very skeptical about what it would look like to deploy this kind of technology at a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

During my test call, I expected to repeat myself and sit through awkward pauses while the system processed my answers. I was wrong. The call went very smoothly. I could tell I wasn’t speaking with a live person, but it wasn’t distracting. Near the end of the call, I mentioned that someone had a weapon and the system immediately began transferring me to a dispatcher.

The dispatching side of the demonstration was just as impressive. I watched the call transcript appear along with an AI-generated CAD entry. Everything was easy to read and it took only a moment to verify that everything the AI had collected matched what I reported.

I’ll be the first to admit that I had been highly skeptical of the technology, but I walked away excited about what a system like this could mean for my ECC. Never having to answer another noise complaint on a Friday night! No more barking dog complaints! I could only imagine how much this would help reduce our call answering time. It’s truly a force multiplier.

Throughout the conference, I encountered new and exciting technology at every turn. Outside the Expo Hall, excellent breakout sessions demonstrated how agencies are using technology to solve a wide range of problems in their ECCs.

I was especially impressed and inspired by a session on “Continuity of Operations Planning.” Several panelists shared their experiences using Next Generation technology to establish interstate interoperability agreements. Instead of the traditional continuity plan of partnering with a neighboring department, these centers had picked an agency in a nearby state to work with. This offered them a huge advantage because during a natural disaster like a hurricane or snowstorm, the partner center is unlikely to be affected by the same event. In the event of a system failure, the out-of-state center could assume responsibility for the affected center’s calls, without the public ever realizing there had been a problem.

The conference was an amazing opportunity to learn from experienced presenters and meet people from across the country. My only complaint was that there wasn’t enough time to visit every booth or attend every breakout session. I know there was far more to see than I could possibly fit into my trip, and I’m already looking forward to returning next year.

About the Author:

Kelly Eckley is a 911 Communications Training Officer with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office (CA), where she serves at the Coachella Valley Dispatch Center. She was named APCO International’s 2026 Trainer of the Year and attended the National NENA Conference as a Gold Line Scholarship recipient. Passionate about education, Kelly is also an adjunct instructor at Moreno Valley College, where she teaches at the Ben Clark Regional Training Center. As a third-generation dispatcher, she is proud to carry on her family’s tradition of service.

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