A new collaboration between Motorola Solutions and Google marks a significant advance in emergency communications. Thanks to direct integration, Android users will soon be able to transmit live video to the 911 emergency call centre within seconds of making an emergency call. The aim is to provide emergency services with faster, more accurate and situation-appropriate support – especially in time-critical situations.
Visual context as a decisive factor
At the heart of the innovation is the integration of Android Emergency Live Video into Motorola Solutions’ control centre software. The solution is available in the Vesta 911 and Vesta NXT systems, which, according to the company, are used by around 60 per cent of public safety answering points (PSAPs) in North America. Callers can transmit live images of their situation to the call taker with a single click during the emergency call.
‘Visual context can change the entire course of an operation,’ explains Todd Piett, Senior Vice President of Command Centre Software at Motorola Solutions. ‘Whether it’s guiding parents through a life-saving manoeuvre or helping in a situation where speaking is too dangerous, video provides information when seconds count.’
Simplified process for emergencies
Until now, video transmission to emergency call centres involved multiple approval steps and complex user queries – a significant disadvantage in acute emergency situations. The new integration reduces this process to a single confirmation query. Once the emergency call has been accepted, the live video can be started almost immediately.
The video data is integrated directly into the Motorola control centre software. This gives dispatchers a more accurate picture of the situation and enables them to make more informed decisions about the resources required. In addition, the video information can be forwarded via mobile applications to police, fire brigade or rescue units while they are still on their way to the scene.
Better quality information for emergency services
Early visual assessment enables emergency services to arrive at the scene better prepared. This improves the quality of decision-making and can increase the safety of those affected and emergency personnel, especially in unclear or dynamic situations such as medical emergencies, domestic violence or fires.
Data protection and employee protection
A key element of the solution is the responsible handling of sensitive content. Emergency control centres can blur incoming videos by default. Call takers decide on a case-by-case basis whether and when the images are made visible. This serves both to protect data and to protect the mental health of employees in the control centres.
Android Emergency Live Video is part of the standard terms and conditions of the Android operating system. The transmission is encrypted and the user has control at all times. Video sharing can be stopped at any time without interrupting the voice connection to the emergency call. Alternatively, sharing can be refused at the beginning of the call.
Prospects for the international security market
The joint solution from Motorola Solutions and Google shows how closely mobile operating systems, control centre technology and emergency services can work together in the future. For the security and control centre market, this opens up new opportunities to optimise emergency responses based on data while maintaining high standards of data protection and user control.
Although the rollout is initially focused on North America, the integration is seen as a blueprint for similar systems in other regions – especially against the backdrop of increasing demands for efficiency, transparency and situation awareness in emergency communications.
