(CBS DETROIT) — From minor emergencies to deadly crimes, Livingston County is trying something new to improve dispatcher information.
“The information they get is sometimes incorrect or not accurate. A picture of a situation tells them 1,000 times more,” said Dean Drake, CEO of Eagle Eye Networks.
When you call 911, a dispatcher typically communicates with you to understand the situation. The Livingston County Emergency Communications Center is now testing a camera-sharing system that provides a real-time view of the situation.
“Their director is very forward thinking when it comes to technology, and we improved it. Eagle Eye did a demo, and they were immediately excited,” said Joe Bommarito of Elite Fire Safety.
Eagle Eye Network’s 911 Camera Sharing System allows dispatchers to view cameras within 300 feet of the caller.
Retail businesses and commercial facilities, such as schools, must subscribe to the service. The Livingston Educational Service Agency is currently demoing the program.
“The cameras are only shared when there is a 911 emergency going on,” Drake said.
Emergency Communication Centers don’t pay for the system; the companies subscribe. Livingston County is the first to test the program in the state.
Bommarito, part of the local team installing the technology, tells CBS News Detroit that dispatchers can only see the cameras when a call is initiated.
“911 dispatchers can no longer access those cameras,” he said.
Bommarito, a former local law enforcement officer, sees the new system as a game changer, and it will be deployed nationwide.
“And now a dispatcher can see what’s going on and really talk someone through CPR. OK, you’re doing it wrong, go harder and deeper,” he explained.
In addition to helping dispatchers, first responders benefit from a better understanding of the situation. Currently, homes can only participate in the program if they have commercial surveillance.
“They’re telling us exactly what’s going on. And it’s not just crime. ‘Hey, there’s a house fire. Get your rigs over here because the house next door might catch fire,'” Bommarito said.
Terell Bailey
