02/11/2026
Washington 911 centers are letting AI answer their non-emergency lines, and The Seattle Times looked at how it’s going.
SNO911 has used an AI agent since late 2024, and it now runs in at least eight Washington counties. Hold times went from 10+ minutes to under a minute. About 41% of calls still get handed to a human dispatcher.
That 41% is the part we’d point to. The AI handles the routine calls so dispatchers have time for the ones that need a person.
We think about the OneDose AI Assistant the same way. It answers only from your agency’s own protocols, not the internet. It gives guidance, and the medic makes the call.
AI in emergency services is getting real. The tools that work keep people in charge.
Read more: https://www.seattletimes.com/business/dialing-a-nonemergency-call-line-in-wa-it-might-be-ai-that-answers/
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For residents in at least eight counties, an AI agent answers their nonemergency calls. Experts worry it can't tell when "not an emergency" actually is one.