About
MACECOM (Mason County Emergency Communications) is the primary PSAP for Mason County, Washington. MACECOM provides critical call-taking and dispatch services for the county’s law enforcement, fire, EMS, and tribal agencies.
Challenge
Routine Calls Split Dispatcher Attention
When Joe Schmit stepped in as Executive Director of MACECOM in 2024, the center’s lean team was already pushing to expand staffing capacity. Six dispatchers fielded 95,000 calls each year, and more than half of those calls were non-emergencies. With only three dispatchers on each shift, Joe saw an opportunity to rethink how the center handled their call volume.
“Our team might handle a barking dog complaint one minute, then walk someone through CPR the next,” explains Joe. Juggling these extremes didn’t just pull focus away from non-urgent callers. It also created a level of pressure that was difficult to sustain long term.
While the center needed to scale capacity, bringing on more dispatchers wasn’t an immediate fix. At MACECOM, entry-level hires spend up to a year in training before working independently. And with non-emergencies accounting for so many calls each day, trainees could easily spend hours on routine matters instead of focusing on priority events.
To reduce the constant shifting between urgent and routine calls—and to help new trainees build critical skills even faster—Joe looked for a new way to tackle non-emergency work. He needed a solution with:
- Straightforward deployment: Many solutions that Joe researched required operational overhauls. As a small agency with system upgrades underway, MACECOM needed a platform that could deploy quickly, integrate with their CAD software, and streamline existing workflows.
- Purpose-built technology: Some tools layered AI onto existing solutions, creating rigid systems that missed call subtleties. Joe wanted AI technology built specifically to handle routine questions with the same care and consistency that dispatchers expect.
That’s when peer PSAPs in Washington introduced Joe to Aurelian. The company’s team understood PSAP needs at a fundamental level, so partnering with them was a no-brainer.
Solution
Purpose-Built AI Multiplies Team Capacity
MACECOM’s partnership with Aurelian began with a risk-free test-run. Aurelian analyzed 1,000 of the PSAP’s non-emergency call recordings to demonstrate how their AI handles volume and different call types. This approach built confidence in the system and earned early buy-in from Joe’s dispatch team.
From there, implementation took just a few weeks. Even with MACECOM’s ongoing technology upgrades, the platform integrated smoothly with their existing tech stack and CAD system. Aurelian’s team then worked closely with dispatchers to match call routing logic and scripts to their workflows, testing and adjusting based on real-world feedback.
Now, Aurelian’s AI voice assistant handles non-emergency calls based on MACECOM’s protocols. “Our team doesn’t flip-flop between different mindsets anymore,” Joe shares. Instead, experienced staff handle critical incidents, while new hires develop emergency response skills without routine distractions.
As routine calls come in, the AI greets each caller, asks clarifying questions, and gathers details like location and description through a natural back-and-forth conversation. While dispatchers regain capacity and address priorities, the assistant stays on non-urgent calls as long as needed—so each person gets uninterrupted attention.
After each call, Aurelian generates concise summaries for dispatcher review. If a situation requires escalation, Joe’s team transfers the details directly into their CAD system so help is dispatched even faster. For MACECOM, this review work can be done remotely when needed—giving staff the flexibility to manage demanding periods without added strain.
At every step, Aurelian’s team provides the same hands-on support as they did during onboarding. Their team meets weekly with MACECOM to review performance metrics and refine the platform’s capabilities. These regular check-ins keep the system tuned to dispatchers’ day-to-day needs.
Results
400+ Hours Saved on Non-Emergency Calls Per Shift
By partnering with Aurelian, Joe’s team stays focused on emergencies without the constant pull of routine volume:
Aurelian’s analytics also give MACECOM clear visibility into call patterns. With these insights, Joe can make more informed decisions about staffing and shift coverage, ensuring resources go where they’re needed most.
And as MACECOM continues to upgrade their systems, Aurelian remains a critical part of dispatcher workflows—adapting alongside new platforms and helping the team stay focused on their community.
