Willamette Valley Communications Center has started a six-month pilot program using an artificial intelligence system called Ava to handle some non-emergency calls, a move officials say is intended to reduce wait times on routine matters and keep human telecommunicators focused on emergencies. The regional dispatch center, operated under the Salem Fire Department, supports 32 public safety agencies and serves more than 415,000 residents across Marion, Polk and Lincoln counties.
City officials have drawn a clear line around the pilot: 911 calls are not part of it. Every emergency call will still be answered by a trained WVCC telecommunicator, and the city says no staffing positions are being eliminated as part of the test. Instead, Ava is being used on selected non-emergency business lines to gather initial information and help route callers to the right agency resource. The city says the point is to see how the system performs in real-world conditions before any longer-term decision is made.
That distinction matters because WVCC handles a large volume of calls that do not involve immediate danger but still consume staff time. In 2025, the center processed more than 500,000 calls, according to the city, with about half involving non-emergency requests. Officials have framed the pilot as a workload tool, not a replacement plan. “With the Ava system, we aim to provide a seamless experience for callers, ensuring that they can receive assistance efficiently while allowing our staff to focus on more complex or time-sensitive situations,” Salem Fire Chief Dave Gerboth said…