Vi Tran and most others in her Snohomish County neighborhood agree that nobody should be shooting off fireworks after the Fourth of July. But one household doesn’t see it that way. Hearing bangs and whistles in August, Tran called the county’s nonemergency line for the fifth time in a month.

Not a single ring was heard, just a short recorded message about language options. Then Ava answered. “SNO911 nonemergency line. How can I help you?” the steady, feminine voice said, just like a dispatcher would.

But Ava is not a dispatcher. It’s an AI agent that Snohomish County has been using for about two years for nonemergency calls. The technology is fielding these calls in 20 or more states nationwide and in at least eight Washington counties – Snohomish, Kitsap, Mason, Grant, Cowlitz, Clark, Chelan and Douglas.

For callers like Tran, Ava can drastically cut wait times. “Of course I’d rather be talking to a person, but it gets me where I need to be going,” Tran said in an interview.

The Spokesman-Review – Metered Site

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Richland Fire & Emergency Services reported crews responded to a residential structure fire involving an RV in the 300 block of Abbott Street in Richland. Everyone got out safely and no injuries were reported, according to Richland Fire & Emergency Services. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

KNDO-TV NBC 23 Yakima

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Seattle Fire Department has used AI since 2023 to analyze and triage 911 medical calls without caller disclosure or public review.

The post Internal Report Raised Concerns About AI Use on Seattle (WA) 911 Calls, Went Ignored appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

Fayetteville is demolishing Fire Station No. 4 after structural problems forced a restart of the project.

The post Fayetteville (NC) Begins Demolition of Never-Occupied Fire Station After $7.6M Construction Failure appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.

3M agreed to pay $7.35 billion over nine years to settle more than 100,000 claims over PFAS firefighting foam, the second major foam settlement.

The post 3M Strikes $7B Settlement in ‘Forever Chemical’ Firefighting Foam Cases appeared first on Fire Apparatus: Fire trucks, fire engines, emergency vehicles, and firefighting equipment.