Advertise on podcast: Beyond the Launch: 911 Customer Success and Implementation Podcast

911 leaders reveal why dispatch technology implementations fail, how to drive real adoption, and what it takes to roll out AI in emergency communications. Episode Description: Beyond the Launch kicks off Season 2 with a candid conversation about why so many 911 technology implementations fail, and why the cause is rarely the technology itself. Host Ivan Whitaker and new co-host Emilee Schulzke, a client success leader with over 15 years of experience, welcome Dominique Mathis and Ashley Valenzuela of First Call Ready for an honest look at what happens when emergency communications centers forget the people behind the headset. The panel shares their worst go-live stories, from dispatchers who didn’t know it was launch day to interfaces that worked in training but failed in production. They explore why dispatchers are so often the last to know about decisions that directly affect them, how command staff can give telecommunicators a real seat at the table, and why emotional readiness belongs in every implementation plan alongside the task lists. The conversation then turns to AI in 911 centers. With non-emergency AI and AI-embedded medical protocols arriving fast, the group discusses public misconceptions, the importance of community education, and why poorly executed rollouts could trigger a legislative backlash that sets the entire industry back. Whether you’re a dispatcher, supervisor, PSAP director, IT lead, or public safety technology vendor, this episode offers practical insight into change management, customer success, and building a culture where technology adoption actually sticks. In this episode: Real stories of 911 technology rollouts that went sidewaysWhy dispatch deserves a seat at the table, and what it costs when they don’t get oneBuilding emotional and professional readiness into implementation plansInverting the org chart to include frontline staff in RFPs, procurement, and testingWhat successful adoption really looks like beyond vendor metricsThe value of post-launch surveys and unprompted user feedbackAI for non-emergency calls and how to educate the public before misinformation spreadsWhy every AI implementation matters for the future of the industryHow technology can support longevity and reduce burnout in dispatch careersGuests: Dominique Mathis, Director of Innovation and Professional Development at First Call Ready, and Ashley Valenzuela, Dispatch Supervisor and co-host of the First Call Ready Podcast. Find First Call Ready on Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Amazon Music. Keywords/Tags: 911 dispatch, emergency communications, PSAP, technology implementation, change management, 911 technology adoption, AI in 911, non-emergency AI, dispatcher wellness, telecommunicator, public safety technology, customer success, CAD implementation, First Call Ready, Beyond the Launch podcast

For our season finale, Max Keenan (Founder, Aurelian) and Scott MacDonald (CEO, GovWorx) join the show to take apart what 911 is, what it's becoming, and what has to stay human. Two founders. Opposite entry points into public safety. One shared North Star: the person in the chair. We cover staffing, burnout, AI in non-emergency, NG911, the myth of the "big bang," and what winning actually looks like ten years from now. They came at 911 from opposite directions. Scott joined the Air Force at 22 because he needed a job, became a firefighter, got assigned to the alarm room on the 1 AM shift, and realized he got more out of taking the call than riding the engine. He built his first CAD system inside Microsoft Access. Max was 22, automating phone calls for hair salons, when a salon owner called a non-emergency line about a blocked parking spot, waited 30 minutes, hung up, and dialed 911. He was lying on a friend's apartment floor because he couldn't afford a hotel room. He didn't know the industry existed he thought police officers answered the phone. Two entry points. Same North Star. A few moments that stayed with me: → "You train your team as Navy SEALs and you use them as mall cops." A 30% staffing shortage sitting on top of 70% non-emergency call volume. Max called it the greatest misallocation of labor he'd ever seen. → On why 911 companies fail. Not competition. "It's going to be suicide" — launching things that don't work, selling what doesn't exist. Max told the story of a vendor tapping him on the shoulder at a conference bar after he'd told a prospect "no, it doesn't do that": You should have just said yes. → On automation math nobody runs. If you automate 30% of your non-emergency calls, you may have just made the other 70% worse. Be a solution, not a hurdle. → On mental health as an existential threat. Maybe 2% of the population can actually do this job. Eleven known telecommunicator suicides this year alone. You can't stop the call from the mother who found her baby in the pool. You can stop the twelve hours of mandatory overtime every three days. → On what QA actually costs. One hour and seventeen minutes for a human to review a seven-minute call — covering 2% of calls. Scott's team has evaluated over 12 million. → On rigidity. One agency has 550 call types in their CAD. A call taker told Max she picks "physical altercation" over "fight" because she knows it gets a faster response. She knows the outcome. The system doesn't. → On the human in the middle. Scott wrote a blog post about being the person seated between two dinner guests who have nothing in common. That's the telecommunicator — translating panic into something real and durable. Machine can talk to machine. Human still needs a human. → On what winning looks like. Scott: "If all that's said in ten years is that there's more AI in 911, that's not a win." The win is a stronger profession — better retention, real reclassification, elevated recognition. And the line I keep coming back to, for every dispatcher listening: "The future is happening. Not around you, not without you — but with you." This one runs long and earns it. #911 #PublicSafety #EmergencyCommunications #NG911 #Dispatch #Telecommunicators #AI #GovTech #BeyondTheLaunch

Episode 20: Proposals Are an Operations Problem: How a RevOps Operator Built the System GovTech Has Been Missing | Sophie KatherWhat if your proposal problem is not really a writing problem? In Episode 20 of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Sophie Kather, Managing Partner of Civic North Consulting, to explore why winning government contracts requires much more than writing a strong RFP response. Sophie brings nearly two decades of experience across Revenue Operations, government contracting, proposals, sales enablement, cooperative purchasing, and public sector strategy. Her message is simple: proposals are an operations problem. Ivan and Sophie discuss how GovTech companies can build repeatable systems around RFPs, improve go/no-go decisions, strengthen capture strategy, use data more effectively, and turn cooperative contracts into actual revenue. They also explore the role of AI in proposal management, why organizations should stop chasing every opportunity, how sales enablement supports government contracting, and why data integrity is foundational to a strong RevOps strategy. If you work in GovTech, public safety technology, government contracting, RevOps, sales, customer success, business development, or procurement, this episode is for you. TIMESTAMPS00:45 Welcome and introduction to Sophie Kather 02:53 Recognizing the broken pattern in government proposals 04:49 Navigating public sector procurement 06:58 How RevOps shaped Sophie's approach 08:45 What Revenue Operations actually does 09:27 The chaos before an RFP deadline 10:57 How to differentiate your proposal 12:42 Building a strong go/no-go process 14:22 When companies should walk away from an RFP 15:07 The top proposal improvement GovTech founders should make 16:36 Building a customized go/no-go scorecard 17:54 Grant strategy for nonprofits 19:33 How AI should be used in proposal management 21:17 AI writing versus authentic human connection 22:14 Why Sophie built Civic North Consulting 23:29 Turning NASPO, GSA, and cooperative contracts into revenue 25:59 Sales enablement in GovTech and public safety 27:36 What a strong RevOps team looks like 29:09 Why data integrity matters 31:16 Managing long public sector sales cycles 32:36 What GovTech founders need to know before writing 33:23 How to connect with Sophie 33:59 Closing thoughts ABOUT SOPHIE KATHERSophie Kather is the Managing Partner of Civic North Consulting, helping GovTech companies, nonprofits, and public sector suppliers simplify grants, RFPs, contracts, and cooperative purchasing. Learn more at CivicNorthConsulting.com. KEYWORDSBeyond the Launch, Ivan Whitaker, Sophie Kather, Civic North Consulting, RevOps, Revenue Operations, GovTech, government contracting, government procurement, RFP strategy, RFP response, proposal management, proposal strategy, capture strategy, go no go process, public sector sales, cooperative purchasing, NASPO, GSA Schedule, sales enablement, GovCon, public safety technology, customer success, AI proposals, artificial intelligence, business development, CRM data, procurement strategy HASHTAGS#BeyondTheLaunch #GovTech #RevOps #RevenueOperations #GovernmentContracting #GovCon #RFP #Procurement #SalesEnablement #PublicSector #PublicSafety #CustomerSuccess #AI #NASPO

What happens when a 911 center invests in the latest technology but forgets about the people expected to use it? In Episode 19 of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Adam Timm, President and Founder of The Healthy Dispatcher, for a powerful conversation about why successful transformation in emergency communications starts with people, culture, trust, and leadership, not technology alone. Adam brings a perspective forged from more than two decades in public safety. After beginning his career as a dispatcher with the Los Angeles Police Department, experiencing burnout firsthand, and ultimately transforming his own approach to the profession, he dedicated his career to helping 911 professionals and communication centers become healthier, stronger, and more resilient. Adam explains why successful technology implementation begins long before go-live, why employees need to be involved early in the process, and how poor communication can create resistance before a new system ever reaches the floor. They also explore the difference between simply deploying technology and achieving real adoption. Login numbers and system uptime may tell part of the story, but the real measure of success is whether dispatchers and supervisors trust the technology, understand its purpose, and believe it makes their work better. ⏱️ EPISODE TIMESTAMPS03:08: Adam’s journey from LAPD dispatcher to creating a larger impact in 911 05:41: How “The Healthy Dispatcher” was born and why organizational health matters 08:13: What people-driven leadership looks like during major change 10:09: Why leaders must communicate early, often, and transparently 12:49: Why communication professionals can struggle to communicate with each other 13:11: How working the console shapes communication habits on and off duty 17:16: The biggest leadership mistake during a 911 technology go-live 17:36: Why employees must be involved before technology is selected 19:24: Creating a better blueprint for technology implementation and change management 21:09: Rethinking customer success in public safety technology 21:26: Adoption vs. utilization: Are people actually using and trusting the technology? 24:28: Why dispatcher satisfaction should become a measurable implementation metric 25:17: How better questions produce better employee feedback 25:47: Three signs that a 911 center’s culture survived a major technology change 29:16: Agency vs. vendor accountability when implementations struggle 30:19: Why the human side of change should be built into the project plan 32:46: The one leadership principle Adam wants every 911 director to embrace 34:18: Why genuinely knowing and caring about your people changes culture 36:02: The Healthy Dispatcher: training, consulting, culture assessments, and leadership development 38:08: Closing thoughts with Adam Timm 🎧 Listen, watch, subscribe, and share this episode with a 911 leader, dispatcher, supervisor, or public safety professional who believes the future of emergency communications starts with its people. Featured Guest: Adam Timm President & Founder: The Healthy Dispatcher Host: Ivan Whitaker Podcast: Beyond the Launch

Episode 18: Building Partnerships That Stick: How Data, Trust, and No-Cost Models Change the Game in Public Safety Technology | Beyond the Launch Most people hear “CARFAX” and think about buying a used car. But behind the familiar consumer brand is a powerful set of tools supporting law enforcement, emergency communications centers, and vehicle-related investigations across the country. In Episode 18 of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with John Fisher, Senior Partner Development Manager for CARFAX for Police. John brings decades of public-safety leadership to his role. His career includes serving as Chief of Police in Bedford, Massachusetts; Chief of Police and Emergency Management Director in Carlisle; and 22 years with the Nashua Police Department, where he rose from patrolman to bureau captain. He also spent more than 30 years coaching high school basketball, an experience that continues to shape his leadership and partnership-building approach. Together, Ivan and John explore how CARFAX for Police developed a no-cost data-sharing model used by more than 6,500 law enforcement agencies, why a CARFAX investigative tool is run every 15 seconds, and how Driver Exchange 911 helps agencies manage property-damage-only collisions while keeping dispatchers and officers available for higher-priority emergencies. They also discuss what technology companies often misunderstand about public safety, why successful partnerships begin with listening, and what it takes to introduce new technology in an environment where trust, accuracy, and reliability are nonnegotiable. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 – Welcome to Beyond the Launch 02:22 – Meet John Fisher of CARFAX for Police 03:55 – The public-safety side of CARFAX 05:55 – Why agencies use a CARFAX tool every 15 seconds 06:52 – How the no-cost data-sharing model works 08:45 – Protecting personal information: vehicles versus drivers 09:23 – Driver Exchange 911 and how it works 12:27 – Reducing low-priority calls in the dispatch queue 13:54 – How officers can use the tool at the scene 15:09 – Making technology easier for dispatchers to adopt 16:40 – Earning trust inside a police department 19:37 – Integrating with CAD, RMS, and real-time crime centers 22:05 – Building partnerships at the speed of government 24:55 – What AI-powered startups get wrong about public safety 27:51 – Lessons from NENA, APCO, and industry conferences 30:02 – What technology founders underestimate about the market 31:12 – Behind the curtain: What’s next for CARFAX for Police 32:59 – Closing thoughts Whether you work in law enforcement, 911 operations, emergency management, GovTech, product development, or partnership strategy, this conversation offers practical lessons about earning trust and building technology that works in the real world. Subscribe to Beyond the Launch for more candid conversations about the work that begins after a product goes live. #BeyondTheLaunch #CARFAXforPolice #PublicSafety #LawEnforcement #911Dispatch #EmergencyCommunications #GovTech #DriverExchange911 #Podcast

Episode 17: From the Headset to the BoardroomHow Lived Experience Drives Meaningful Technology Adoption in 911On this episode of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan sits down with Tipi Brookens, Chief of Public Safety Engagement at Govworx, for a candid conversation about 911 leadership, technology adoption, and quality assurance in emergency communications. Tipi spent 24 years inside emergency communications, starting as a 911 call taker and rising to Chief of Professional Standards and Development and Chief of Staff at Washington DC's Office of Unified Communications, one of the most publicly scrutinized 911 centers in the country. In this episode, she shares what it was like leading through intense media attention and political pressure, why she left a government agency career to join a public safety technology vendor, and how her firsthand dispatch experience shapes her approach to 911 technology implementation today. Chapters 0:00 Welcome to Beyond the Launch 1:55 Episode intro: From the Headset to the Boardroom 2:34 Life in the headset: her first version of herself in 911 6:49 Leading inside DC's most scrutinized 911 center 11:36 The practitioner turned vendor question 16:39 Why she made the leap to Govworx 21:19 The case for 100% quality assurance 25:13 How Comms Coach changes the evaluation process 28:27 What goes wrong in the first 90 days of implementation 33:16 Shifting a 911 center's culture around QA 38:12 Level Up with Tipi: why Govworx invests beyond the product 40:19 Advice for new directors and what's next with PROMOTE 44:07 Closing thoughts Tipi and Ivan dig into the real reasons technology rollouts fail in dispatch centers, why 100% quality assurance matters more than agencies realize, and how AI powered tools like CommsCoach are shifting 911 quality assurance from a punitive process to a coaching and protection model. They also discuss the trust gap between 911 agencies and vendors, the supervisor "trust shock" that derails new technology in the first 90 days, and how to build a healthier evaluation culture for telecommunicators. The conversation closes with a look at Govworx's new PROMOTE assessment for 911 supervisors and leaders. This episode is a must listen for 911 directors, communications center leadership, telecommunicators, public safety technology vendors, and anyone interested in emergency communications, dispatcher wellness, or public safety innovation. Topics covered: 911 leadership, emergency dispatch, public safety technology, quality assurance in 911, AI in emergency communications, dispatcher wellness, technology implementation, change management, Comms Coach, Govworx, DC Office of Unified Communications, telecommunicator training and coaching. Guest: Tipi Brookens, Chief of Public Safety Engagement, Govworx Host: Ivan, Beyond the Launch Produced by: Utah Podcast Studio Keywords: 911 podcast, emergency dispatch podcast, public safety technology, 911 quality assurance, AI in 911, dispatcher wellness, 911 leadership, emergency communications training, Govworx Comms Coach, public safety innovation

Episode 16: Building World-Class Communications from the Ground Up in Qatar When Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, over 1.4 million visitors poured into 8 stadiums, and behind the scenes, one man was responsible for making sure emergency communications didn't fail. In this episode of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Dr. Andre Jones, PhD, Assistant Executive Director of Communications and Control Centers at Hamad Medical Corporation in Doha, Qatar, to unpack what it actually takes to build a world-class emergency communications system from scratch, in a foreign country, under a hard deadline, with zero room for error. Dr. Jones shares the real story behind recruiting 57 multilingual telecommunicators from Jordan, India, and beyond (53 of whom still serve today), deploying mobile dispatch units at fan zones, and the moment, just one month before kickoff, when a directive came down to replace the entire CAD system. With no time to procure a new platform, Dr. Jones and his team built a Microsoft Teams and SharePoint workaround that ended up outperforming expectations, connecting hospitals, FIFA delegates, and the Medical Command Center in real time. This conversation goes beyond the World Cup highlight reel into the harder questions every public safety and technology leader faces. How do you drive adoption when frontline staff don't trust leadership enough to speak up? How do you turn a "job" into a profession people build a career around? And what should a 911 director really ask before signing with an AI or CAD vendor? In this episode, you'll learn: How Dr. Jones professionalized emergency dispatch in Qatar, changing government policy to classify telecommunicators alongside nurses, paramedics, and EMTsWhy frontline buy-in, not executive mandate, is the real predictor of successful technology implementationThe behind-the-scenes story of the Microsoft Teams and SharePoint workaround that saved the 2022 World Cup's emergency response systemThree things every public safety leader should do before signing a vendor contractLessons on psychological safety, mentorship, and building organizational culture in high-stress, high-stakes environments Whether you work in emergency management, public safety technology, vendor implementation, or organizational leadership, this episode offers a rare inside look at what separates technology that works on paper from technology that works when lives are on the line. Guest: Dr. Andre Jones, PhD, MPA, ENP, CPE, CSSGB. Assistant Executive Director, Communications and Control Centers, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar Keywords: emergency communications, 911 dispatch, CAD system implementation, Qatar World Cup 2022, emergency management, public safety technology, dispatcher retention, organizational psychology, customer success, AI vendor evaluation

Beyond the Launch | Episode 15 Building the Future of Public Safety with Carbyne (Axon) How do you modernize one of the world's most mission-critical systems? In Episode 15 of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Amir Elichai, Founder of Carbyne and SVP of Global Strategy following Carbyne's acquisition by Axon, for an in-depth conversation about the future of emergency communications. After experiencing firsthand the limitations of emergency response during a personal emergency, Amir set out to build a platform that would fundamentally change how 911 operates. That vision became Carbyne, an AI-native, cloud-based emergency communications platform now serving more than 250 million people worldwide. Together, Ivan and Amir explore what it truly takes to modernize public safety, including cloud-native 911, AI, customer success, technology adoption, and the importance of creating seamless workflows for emergency telecommunicators. The conversation also examines the strategic combination of Carbyne, Prepared, and Axon, and how an end-to-end public safety ecosystem has the potential to reshape emergency response from the first 911 call through dispatch, responder operations, real-time intelligence, evidence management, and beyond. In this episode you'll learn: • How Carbyne was born from a real-life emergency • Why cloud-native emergency communications are transforming 911 • The biggest challenges agencies face during technology implementations • Why customer success is critical after go-live • How AI is changing emergency communications without replacing dispatch professionals • Why leaders should focus on outcomes instead of technology • The future vision for Axon, Carbyne, and Prepared as one integrated public safety platform If you're a 911 leader, PSAP director, emergency communications professional, public safety executive, technology innovator, or government leader looking to understand where the industry is headed, this episode delivers practical insights and strategic perspectives from one of the industry's leading innovators. Subscribe to Beyond the Launch for conversations with the leaders building the future of public safety technology, customer success, and emergency communications. #911 #PublicSafety #Carbyne #Axon #Prepared #NG911 #EmergencyCommunications #ArtificialIntelligence #CustomerSuccess #CloudTechnology #EmergencyManagement #PublicSafetyTechnology

Episode 14: Turning 911 Innovation into Real-World Impact at Scale What does it actually take to modernize 911, the system most Americans assume is already cutting-edge, but isn't? In this episode of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Michael Chime, co-founder and CEO of Prepared by Axon, to unpack how a college side project sparked by a childhood brush with an active shooter event grew into AI-powered technology now supporting over 1,000 public safety agencies across 49 states and on track to touch more than 50 million 911 calls in 2026. Michael shares the raw, personal story behind Prepared's founding: leaving Yale as a Thiel Fellow, the awkward conversation with his mom about dropping out, and the moment he first walked into a 911 center expecting cutting-edge technology and found the opposite. From there, the conversation goes deep into the real work of driving 911 innovation, why public safety technology lags behind other industries, what separates agencies that successfully adopt new tools from those that stall out, and how AI can fill capability gaps (like real-time language translation and call quality assurance) without replacing the humans doing the hardest job in the room. Listeners will also hear Michael's perspective on the 2025 Axon acquisition of Prepared, what it means for the future of emergency communications, how Prepared's integration with Carbyne is shaping a more modern, cloud-based infrastructure for dispatch centers, and his direct advice for a brand-new 911 director trying to figure out where to even start with new technology. Whether you're a 911 director, dispatcher, emergency manager, public safety technology vendor, or startup founder building in a mission-critical space, this episode offers a candid look at what it takes to scale innovation responsibly in one of the most high-stakes environments in the country. In this episode: Michael Chime's personal journey from Thiel Fellow to CEO of Prepared by AxonWhy 911 technology has historically lagged behind other industriesHow Prepared's AI synthesizes call audio, video, text, and real-time translationInside the 2025 Axon–Prepared acquisition and what it means for public safety techHow AI can fill gaps and reduce burden for 911 dispatchers without replacing themFramework for evaluating and implementing new 911 technology, center by centerThe future of 911 infrastructure: cloud migration, Carbyne integration, and the Axon ecosystemPractical advice for new 911 directors navigating a crowded technology landscape Keywords: 911 innovation, emergency communications technology, Prepared by Axon, Michael Chime, AI in 911 dispatch, public safety technology, 911 dispatch center technology, emergency management technology, Axon acquisition, Carbyne, 911 director advice, public safety AI, dispatch center innovation, Beyond the Launch podcast

How can 911 systems deliver better patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary transports and easing strain on emergency services? In Episode 13 of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Shanel Fields, CEO of MD Ally, to explore how virtual care, alternative response models, and healthcare innovation are transforming the future of emergency response. As public safety agencies face increasing call volumes, workforce challenges, and growing demands on healthcare systems, many are looking beyond traditional dispatch-and-transport models. Shanel shares how MD Ally is helping agencies connect callers with the right level of care at the right time through integrated virtual care solutions that improve operational efficiency, support first responders, and enhance patient outcomes. Throughout the conversation, Shanel discusses the challenges of implementing alternative care pathways, strategies for building trust among frontline personnel, and the critical role customer success plays in ensuring long-term program adoption. She also shares insights into the future of Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH), Community Paramedicine, telehealth, and the evolving relationship between healthcare and public safety. Whether you're a 911 leader, emergency communications professional, EMS executive, healthcare innovator, community paramedicine advocate, or public safety decision-maker, this episode offers valuable insights into what it takes to successfully operationalize modern care delivery models. Key Topics Covered🔹 Alternative response models in 911 systems 🔹 Virtual care and telehealth integration 🔹 Mobile Integrated Healthcare (MIH) programs 🔹 Community paramedicine initiatives 🔹 Customer success and program adoption strategies 🔹 Public safety and healthcare collaboration 🔹 Improving patient outcomes through innovative care pathways 🔹 Reducing unnecessary ambulance transports and emergency department utilization 🔹 The future of emergency response and healthcare innovation About Shanel FieldsShanel Fields is the CEO of MD Ally and a recognized leader in healthcare innovation, public safety transformation, and Mobile Integrated Healthcare. She is dedicated to advancing patient-centered care by connecting emergency response systems with virtual care solutions that help agencies deliver better outcomes while optimizing resources and improving community health. 🎧 Listen now and discover how agencies across the country are redefining success in emergency response by ensuring the right care is delivered at the right time. #BeyondTheLaunch #ShanelFields #MDAlly #Podcast #911Response #PublicSafety #EMS #EmergencyCommunications #HealthcareInnovation #VirtualCare #Telehealth #MobileIntegratedHealthcare #MIH #CommunityParamedicine #PatientOutcomes #FirstResponders #EmergencyManagement #HealthcareLeadership #PublicSafetyLeadership #EmergencyMedicine #AlternativeResponse #911Communications #CareCoordination #Innovation #DigitalHealth #HealthcareTechnology #PopulationHealth #EmergencyDispatch #RightCareRightTime

How can 9-1-1 agencies embrace disruptive technology while maintaining trust, reliability, and operational excellence? In Episode 12 of the Beyond the Launch Podcast, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Reinhard Ekl, COO and Co-Founder of Hyper, to explore the future of technology adoption in emergency communications and public safety. With decades of experience spanning EMS, public safety technology, RapidSOS, RapidDeploy, and innovative startup leadership, Reinhard shares valuable insights into what it takes to successfully introduce new technology into mission-critical 911 environments. The conversation challenges the common misconception that 911 centers are resistant to change. Instead, Reinhard explains why public safety agencies are often eager to adopt new solutions when they clearly improve outcomes, enhance operations, and support telecommunicators in their daily work. The episode also dives into one of the most pressing issues facing emergency communications centers today: staffing shortages. Reinhard discusses how artificial intelligence (AI) can serve as a force multiplier for dispatch centers—not by replacing call takers and dispatchers, but by reducing workload, streamlining processes, and allowing personnel to focus on high-priority incidents and critical decision-making. In this episode, you'll learn: Why 911 agencies are more innovative than many people realizeHow AI can help address staffing and retention challenges in emergency communicationsStrategies for building trust in new public safety technologiesThe role of human expertise in an AI-assisted futureLessons learned from implementing technology in mission-critical environmentsWhat the future of Next Generation 911 (NG911) may look like Whether you're a 911 professional, emergency communications leader, public safety executive, technology innovator, or anyone interested in the future of emergency response, this episode offers practical insights on driving change while maintaining trust and reliability. Key Topics: 911 Technology, Public Safety Innovation, AI in Emergency Communications, NG911, Telecommunicator Staffing, Dispatch Technology, Emergency Response, Public Safety Leadership, Hyper, RapidSOS, RapidDeploy, Public Safety Technology Adoption. 🎧 Listen now to discover how technology, trust, and innovation are shaping the future of 9-1-1.

Episode 11: Stephen McDonnell on AI, Workforce Management, and the Future of 911 Operations In Episode 11 of Beyond the Launch, host Ivan Whitaker sits down with Stephen McDonnell, President and CEO of WilMac Technologies, to discuss how artificial intelligence, workforce management, and technology adoption are reshaping the future of emergency communications. With more than 30 years of experience supporting Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) across the United States and Canada, WilMac Technologies is helping 911 centers modernize scheduling, forecasting, staffing, and telecommunicator wellness through innovative workforce management solutions and AI-powered tools. During this conversation, Stephen shares insights on: The challenges PSAPs face with staffing and schedulingWhy many 911 centers still rely on spreadsheets for workforce managementHow AI is improving forecasting, staffing stability, and operational efficiencyThe importance of telecommunicator wellness and burnout preventionBuilding successful partnerships between public safety agencies and technology providersOvercoming barriers to technology adoption in emergency communicationsThe future of AI in 911 centers and public safety operations Whether you're a 911 Director, PSAP leader, emergency communications professional, dispatcher, telecommunicator, public safety executive, or technology innovator, this episode delivers valuable insights into the evolving landscape of public safety technology. Listen now to learn how AI-driven workforce management solutions are helping agencies improve staffing, support employee wellness, enhance operational readiness, and better serve their communities. Keywords: Public Safety, 911, PSAP, Emergency Communications, Dispatch, Telecommunicator, Workforce Management, AI in Public Safety, Artificial Intelligence, Public Safety Technology, Emergency Management, Staffing, Forecasting, Telecommunicator Wellness, NENA, APCO, Leadership, Innovation, WilMac Technologies, Stephen McDonnell, Beyond the Launch Podcast.

What does a great implementation actually look like and how do you measure it? In this episode, Ivan Whitaker reflects on his first experience leading an implementation organization and the pivotal question that transformed his approach to customer success: How do we know we're providing great implementations? After discovering that many organizations struggle to define and measure implementation success, Ivan shares how his team developed a framework that moved beyond traditional customer satisfaction metrics and focused on measurable outcomes, time-to-value, product adoption, and long-term customer success. Drawing from real-world public safety technology deployments, Ivan explains how implementation teams can use simulations, scenario-based training, and operational readiness exercises to improve user confidence, increase adoption rates, and create smoother go-live experiences. He discusses how one strategic change led to a 15% improvement in tool usage and accuracy, reinforcing the importance of preparation and change management. The conversation also explores the role of customer success leaders, implementation managers, and executives in creating accountability, measuring impact, and ensuring implementation strategies align with organizational mission and vision. Ivan challenges leaders to rethink how they evaluate implementation performance and asks whether their teams can clearly define what success looks like after go-live. Whether you work in SaaS, GovTech, public safety technology, software implementation, customer success, or organizational leadership, this episode offers actionable insights on building implementation programs that drive adoption, deliver value, and create lasting customer outcomes. Topics include: Customer success and implementation leadershipMeasuring implementation successTime-to-value strategiesProduct adoption and product stickinessChange management and organizational readinessGo-live planning and simulationsUser training and adoption metricsSaaS implementation best practicesExecutive leadership and accountabilityAligning implementations with company mission and vision

In this episode, Ivan Whitaker shares one of the most memorable implementation experiences of his career—a public safety technology deployment in Pinedale, Wyoming, during a severe winter blizzard. What began as a routine go-live quickly became a lesson in perseverance, leadership, and the true purpose of customer success. Facing dangerous road conditions, whiteout visibility, and an eight-hour drive through a Wyoming snowstorm, Ivan and a newly developing implementation specialist pressed forward to support a critical 911 technology deployment for a rural emergency communications center. As the storm intensified, the team discovered that the technology they were implementing would play a vital role in helping residents who were stranded and unable to access medical care. With only a handful of ambulances covering thousands of square miles, emergency dispatchers relied on pre-arrival and post-dispatch instructions to provide life-saving guidance when responders could not immediately reach patients. Ivan reflects on how successful implementations are about more than software deployment—they are about serving communities, supporting first responders, and ensuring technology delivers value when it matters most. He also discusses how this experience helped shape the career of a future leader in the 911 industry, demonstrating the lasting impact of mentorship, training, and hands-on implementation experience. This inspiring conversation highlights the intersection of public safety, customer success, emergency communications, and leadership under pressure. Topics include: Public safety technology implementations911 and emergency communicationsCustomer success in mission-critical environmentsRural EMS and emergency response challengesPre-arrival and post-dispatch instructionsImplementation leadership and mentorshipGo-live best practicesEmergency communications during disastersBuilding resilient public safety systemsLeadership lessons from the field Whether you're involved in public safety, emergency communications, GovTech, customer success, implementation services, or organizational leadership, this episode offers a powerful reminder that the best implementations aren't measured by software deployments—they're measured by the lives and communities they impact.

In this episode, Ivan Whitaker explores a critical mindset shift in public safety technology: organizations shouldn't focus on implementing software as a service (SaaS)—they should focus on implementing systems. Using a real-world cardiac arrest response scenario, Ivan breaks down the entire emergency response journey, from the moment a 911 call is made to the arrival of first responders and life-saving intervention. He examines how every component of the public safety ecosystem—including phone systems, emergency call handling protocols, Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD), radio communications, mobile data terminals (MDTs), and field responders—contributes to patient outcomes. Ivan discusses why technology vendors, implementation teams, and customer success professionals must understand how their solutions fit into the larger public safety system. He also highlights the importance of improving the emergency dispatcher experience and evaluating technology based on its impact across the entire workflow rather than viewing it as a standalone product. Whether you're involved in 911 operations, emergency communications, EMS, fire service, law enforcement, public safety technology, NG911 initiatives, or customer success in GovTech, this conversation offers valuable insights into building integrated systems that improve response times, operational efficiency, and ultimately help save lives. Topics include: Public safety technology implementation911 and emergency communications systemsComputer-Aided Dispatch (CAD)Emergency medical response workflowsCustomer success in public safetySystems thinking for technology leadersNG911 and interoperable communicationsImproving dispatcher and responder experiencesTechnology's role in saving lives