Abstract
In the coming years, emergency calling services in North America will begin to incorporate new modalities for reporting emergencies, including video-based calling and picture sharing. The challenge is that we know little of how future call-taking systems should be designed to support emergency calls with rich multimedia and what benefits or challenges they might bring. We have conducted three studies, along with design work, as part of our research to address this problem. First, we conducted observations and contextual interviews within three emergency response call centers to investigate call taking practices and reactions to the incorporation of rich multimedia in emergency call taking practices. Following this, we created user interface design mock-ups and conducted two additional studies with call takers. One involved low-fidelity designs and one involved the use of a medium-fidelity digital prototype. Across the studies, our results show that 9-1-1 call takers will need a next generation interface that supports multimedia, including video calling, as part of calls. Yet user interfaces will need to be different from commercial video conferencing applications that are commonplace today. Design features for 9-1-1 systems must focus on supporting camera work and the capture of emergency scenes; situational awareness of incidents across call takers, including current and historical media associated with them; and, the regulation of media flow to balance privacy concerns and the viewing of potentially traumatic visuals.
Highlights
In Canada, people experiencing an emergency situation can call the number 9-1-1 to be connected with an emergency call center
There is a gap when it comes to understanding how user interfaces should be designed for 9-1-1 takers and dispatchers as we move toward supporting Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) and rich multimedia in the form of video calls and photo sharing
Participants explained that the instruction set for videography should be customized for different scenarios, as the camera work required for a “break and enter” would be different from, for example, that required for a car accident
Summary
In Canada, people experiencing an emergency situation can call the number 9-1-1 to be connected with an emergency call center. In the few years, emergency calling services in Canada will move toward Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) and include support for text messaging, video calling, and the sharing of photos or videos between callers and 9-1-1 call centers (Camp et al, 2000; CRTC 2016, 2016; NG911 Coalition, n.d.) This will involve new ways of sharing information between 9-1-1 call takers, first responders and dispatchers. Our efforts are directed at how to design software that allows call takers to deal with small-scale emergencies like burglaries, house fires, car accidents, and medical emergencies This contrasts emergency response in crisis situations (e.g., earthquake response and flooding) that are typically less frequent and often require large units of first responders over a prolonged period of time (Blum et al, 2014). Much of our work emphasizes video calling, given the rich information that video can provide to 9-1-1 call takers about an emergency situation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
