The Williams County Board of County Commissioners on March 18 approved a one-year subscription to the premium RapidSOS communicator module for the county dispatch center to improve language detection, live translation and enhanced location and text/video features.

Michelle Romans, director of the Williams County dispatch center, told commissioners the county currently uses RapidSOS’s free base service and that the premium communicator module expands features used in 911 response — including automated language detection across more than 75 languages, live translated transcripts for call takers, text-to-911 improvements and enhanced location-tracking. Romans said the premium module costs $12,615 for a one-year subscription and asked the board to approve a trial year so dispatchers can evaluate operational benefits.

Commissioners discussed use cases, including recent calls where staff and interpreters struggled to identify a caller’s language. The board voted to approve a one-year subscription; roll-call votes recorded the motion carried with all present commissioners voting yes.

Why it matters: the county’s dispatch center handles 911 calls and relies on accurate caller location and timely language support; the premium module aims to reduce delays in emergency responses to callers who do not speak English or who use languages with multiple dialects.

Staff follow-up: staff will coordinate budgeting details with county finance and monitor use during the subscription period to assess whether to request recurring funds in future budgets.