Dubuque Emergency Communications Center Launches 9-1-1 Enhancement Tool

MARCH 1, 2024

The Dubuque Emergency Communications Center will soon offer a new service allowing 9-1-1 callers to text and livestream with emergency dispatchers.   

The new service, a software platform called Prepared Assist, will launch in Dubuque County on Monday, March 4. The platform enables the 9-1-1 dispatch center to livestream, receive multimedia, and receive location information from mobile callers in real-time.  

“This addition will significantly improve our 9-1-1 dispatchers’ ability to effectively and efficiently respond to emergencies,” said Dubuque County Emergency Communications Director Jessica George-Rethwisch. “This launch follows weeks of training and preparation and we are excited to offer this service.”  

This addition does not change how residents should report an emergency. All emergency calls should still begin with a phone call to 9-1-1. Participation in the new service is completely voluntary and consent of the caller is required. If the caller agrees, they will receive a livestream link via text from the dispatcher, enabling them to activate live video or send photos and details about their exact location. 

Prepared was created by three Yale University students hoping to help mitigate school emergencies. In their research, they discovered that valuable data is lost in existing 9-1-1 processes and set out to address the problem. Since the software’s public launch in October of 2021, Prepared Assist has been instituted by communities in more than 48 states with a combined population of more than 40 million people. 

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MEDIA CONTACT
Jessica George-Rethwisch, Dubuque County Emergency Communications Director
JGeorge@cityofdubuque.org, 563.589.7856