The landscape of public safety is rapidly changing. As discussed in a recent episode of The Safety Gap podcast, Cassidy Shield and Karin Marquez, alongside Chris Salafia (CEO of Total Response, formerly PowerPhone), dove into the transformation underway within 911 call centers — from updated protocols to cutting-edge technology and an evolving workforce.
Fresh off the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) conference, all three remarked on a palpable energy radiating from professionals and vendors alike. Karin recalled, “This was like the first year in a really, really long time where you really felt this newer generation and people that are attending, so excited to help, to be part of something, to take things to the next level, to want to embrace change.” The takeaway? Change, innovation, and momentum have become the new norm in public safety.
At the heart of this transformation lies the evolution of the 911 call taking process itself — specifically, the protocols that guide every dispatcher, call taker, and first responder. Chris Salafia traced the roots of Total Response back to his father, Phil, a Connecticut state trooper, and a formative experience: a potentially dangerous misclassified call that could have been prevented with better information.
— can mean the difference between safety and disaster.
This realization led to the founding of PowerPhone in 1983, focused initially on training call takers but quickly evolving to develop standardized protocols for police, fire, and EMS calls. At a time when protocols largely existed for medical emergencies, Chris’s father pioneered the first police and fire protocols, recognizing that every call — from domestic disputes to house fires — needed a consistent, reliable process.
Protocols have always been essential but their role is shifting. “Back in the day it was the where and the what, right? That’s your job. Find the where, find the what, send the how. The responders will take care of it,” Chris explained. Over time, the need for more structured, consistent workflows to minimize human error (and legal risk) became clear. That’s when protocols evolved from memorized scripts into dynamic tools integrated directly into call handling technology.
Today, protocols are more than step-by-step instructions; they’re risk assessment frameworks, designed to be both rigid when necessary and flexible enough to empower seasoned call takers. As Karin noted, “I can be Will Ferrell on nine out of ten calls, but on that tenth, that’s a new situation…
Modern protocols strike a balance between standardization and human judgment. This approach, which Chris called “guided flexibility,” is essential in a world where no two emergencies are alike. The goal isn’t to stifle the intuition of experienced dispatchers, but rather to ensure critical information — like weapons on scene or medical distress — is never overlooked, regardless of who answers the call or when.
The number of 911 calls may be dropping, but their complexity is rising. With protocols and tech working hand-in-hand, dispatchers can provide faster, safer, and more comprehensive care. It’s also about alleviating “decision fatigue” for call takers, a key cause of stress and staffing challenges in the industry.
Perhaps the most exciting development is how artificial intelligence is supercharging these protocols. Now, with AI listening to calls, parsing data, and pre-populating answers based on everything from voice to smart device sensors, call takers can leap directly to the most pressing questions or instructions. As Karin described, this “puts the humanness back in the call,” reducing the mechanical repetition and letting dispatchers focus on empathy, accuracy, and outcomes.
ensuring that information flows instantly from call taker to field responder. This empowers front-line staff to deliver the best possible care, at the most critical moments.
As the episode closed, the message was clear: The future of public safety lies in simplifying workflows and empowering people. “If you can show them an intelligent workflow… ‘That makes sense. Oh, and I can actually add my own flavor to that,’” Chris observed, “that is the way.”
With technology and protocols working in harmony, the safety gap is closing — making 911 faster, smarter, and more humane than ever before.