AWS Public Sector Blog

Guernsey County, Ohio, modernizes its emergency response with AWS

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In a small corner of Ohio, Guernsey County is leading the nation by example. Home to a technologically advanced 911 call center, the county has taken the pioneering step to move its emergency call handling into the cloud. With a powerful blend of cloud-centered solutions, it has positioned itself as an innovator in emergency response, breaking away from limitations and embracing a future that is faster, more efficient, and safer for its citizens.

From analog to digital: The transformation story

Until recently, the county’s 911 system was anchored in pre-internet analog technology, restricting emergency calls to two-way voice conversations. The dated system left the community yearning for a solution that could bring them into the 21st century. The county opted for both cloud-centered computer aided dispatch (CAD) and call-handling solutions to modernize its center.

The state of Ohio did not have an emergency services IP network (ESInet) deployed, so Guernsey County needed to get creative. It selected Amazon Web Services (AWS) Partner Carbyne and their i3 compliant cloud native call-taking platform APEX. Carbyne APEX transitioned the call center from analog to a digital interface that is smartphone-friendly and allows operators to communicate with callers via live video. This provides accurate location information and rich data within the call handling platform itself.

Jeffrey Hannon, dispatch supervisor for the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office, said in a news interview that anyone who calls 911 in the county is automatically sent a link to a phone via text that allows dispatchers to view and assess the scene. “When you click on that link, which we instruct callers to do … they have to allow access to your camera and location,” said  Hannon. “Once they hit ‘allow,’ then we can see their camera, and we can get a better location on their GPS.”

The impact of this new technology was felt immediately. Within two hours of going live, the system assisted in a potentially life-threatening situation when the center received a call from the mother of a man experiencing a seizure. Because the technology enables communication via live smartphone video feed, the call-taker could see the patient and could immediately identify the severity of the situation. Without video, he would have needed to ask the caller many questions—and take a lot more time—to reach the same assessment. The call-taker was able to quickly advise the caller on how to care for her son until the ambulance arrived. The speed and accuracy of the emergency response provided life-saving care for this patient.

Guernsey County has used video capabilities to instantly triage and respond to accidents with accuracy and care. There is a major interstate running through the county, and this technology can assist with response to fatal accidents, as well as helping crime scene investigators benefit from seeing the footage at the moment of the accident, reducing time spent reconstructing the scene. The video and photo-sharing feature of the system is compatible with both SMS and WhatsApp and requires no application to be installed on a person’s cell phone. For further insight into the Guernsey APEX deployment, view this video from Guernsey County and Carbyne. AWS services supporting the APEX solution include:

The following image shows a monitor that is displaying a live feed of a 911 incident using Carbyne APEX. The operator’s screen shows live video and a map location of the incident.

photo showing a monitor that has a live feed of the 911 system in Guernsey County, Ohio

Guernsey County 911 live feed of an incident using the Carbyne APEX solution.

A cost-effective and secure step forward

Beyond just technological advancement, the county has experienced significant cost advantages. By migrating to APEX, Guernsey County managed to eliminate hardware costs and consolidate various operating expenses. The implementation also provides more than 99.999 percent availability for voice calls, end-to-end security, and data storage in a secure cloud, enabling simple relocation of the team if needed.

Carbyne’s APEX is a product designed to offer cloud-centered mission-critical call management. It unifies various communication mediums like audio, video, instant messages, third-party applications, and Internet of Things (IoT) devices and provides real-time information for informed decisions. Customization capabilities include live closed-captioning, automatic live language translation and transcription, predefined messages, agent help requests, recorded announcements, and more. Carbyne’s APEX Multimedia NG911 Suite further enhances emergency call handling, addressing challenges like staffing shortages, the mental health of call-takers, emergency response time improvement, and supporting callers of all abilities. The county is beginning to use the artificial intelligence (AI) feature, which will assist in reducing the number of redundant calls and help understaffed call centers move more efficiently through their queues. Learn more about how AWS supports 911 centers with AI.

Conclusion

Guernsey County has shown that with the right technology partners and a forward-thinking approach, even small emergency call centers can innovate and lead the way. The county’s cloud-centered approach to emergency response has revolutionized how it serves its community and is a testament to what is achievable when courage meets innovation. The success in Guernsey County serves as a beacon for others, demonstrating that barriers can be overcome and that adopting next-generation solutions is not only feasible but essential for enhancing public safety in the modern age.

For more information, please visit the AWS Cloud for Justice and Public Safety homepage, contact your AWS account manager, or reach out to the AWS Public Sector team.