Washington, United States (Enmaeya News) — U.S. 911 emergency call centers are turning to artificial intelligence to manage a growing staffing crisis, using technology to handle non-emergency calls and ease pressure on overworked dispatchers.

Seattle-based startup Aurelian, which originally focused on automating salon appointments, pivoted to the emergency services sector after founder Max Kinnan noticed that operators frequently had to handle minor complaints—such as noise reports or traffic violations—alongside life-threatening emergencies.

The company developed a voice assistant powered by AI that can triage calls, resolve routine reports, and immediately forward critical emergencies to human dispatchers, according to TechCrunch.

Since its launch in May 2024, the system has been deployed in more than a dozen 911 centers, including Snohomish County, Washington, and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Aurelian raised $14 million in a Series A funding round led by the National Environment Agency (NEA) to expand the system to additional states.

Emergency dispatchers often work shifts up to 16 hours due to persistent staffing shortages. Kinnan said the AI system aims to give employees “a chance to catch their breath,” and investors emphasize that it supplements existing staff rather than replacing them, filling roles that centers have struggled to recruit for.

While other companies such as Hyper and Prepared are developing similar solutions, Aurelian claims its system is the first to actively handle everyday direct calls, giving it a competitive advantage in a market increasingly seeking smart solutions.