Burnout, Cyber Vulnerability, and Outdated Technology Threaten Emergency Service Readiness
The newly released 2025 Pulse of 9-1-1 report, details the state of the public safety industry across key areas including staffing, technology & operations, training, wellness & mental health, as well as diversity, equity & inclusion (DEI).
Inclusive of findings from 2024, this year's report highlights that emergency services are at a critical inflection point. The third-annual survey—a joint project of Carbyne and NENA: The 9-1-1 Association—reveals surging system outages, unprecedented levels of burnout, and new threats from cyberattacks. Yet signs of progress are also emerging, like the sector's growing openness to AI-powered tools and better support for dispatcher wellness.
Burnout Tops the List of Challenges, Even as Hiring Improves
While the share of centers reporting open positions fell from 82% in 2024 to 74% in 2025, burnout has overtaken hiring as the top workforce challenge. High turnover, absenteeism, and a 22% training failure rate underscore deep-rooted strains in Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs). Nearly 70% of telecommunicators report daily pre-shift stress with "reduced performance/productivity" vaulting to the most cited six-month symptom in 2025.
"What these professionals are experiencing isn't just stress—it's systemic fatigue," said Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA. "This year's findings are a wake-up call: Real investments are needed to ensure 9-1-1 professionals are supported, protected, and equipped to better serve their communities and care for themselves in these high stress roles."
System Fragility and Cyber Threats on the Rise
Alarmingly, the report reveals 88% of ECCs have experienced some kind of technology outage in the last year, up from 75% in 2024. Nine percent reported a telephony denial-of-service (TDoS) or other cyberattack—a new and fast-growing threat to emergency readiness. Although these outages are often outside the ECC's control, they now rank among the top operational risks nationwide.
"There's no question: the fragility of current emergency communications infrastructure is putting lives at risk," said Amir Elichai, CEO of Carbyne. "What's clear from this year's report is that 9-1-1 professionals are doing everything they can—but they need modern, resilient systems to back them up."
Technology Modernization Gains Traction—Especially AI and Cloud-Based Tools
Despite ongoing reliance on outdated platforms, momentum is building for tech modernization. More than three-quarters of respondents believe technology can ease staffing shortages, and 86% say they are at least somewhat comfortable with AI assisting in call taking. High non-emergency call volume and lack of accurate caller location ranked as the top two technology/telephony challenges, with 63% of respondents indicating a non-emergency call volume of between 50-80%. With limited staffing and resources, tech innovation and adoption can be a critical driver of improvements.
"AI won't replace dispatchers. It will give them a fighting chance in high-pressure environments," added Elichai. "This data proves the field is ready. Now the technology and support must follow."
Signs of Progress
The survey also revealed growing engagement with wellness resources. Use of employer mental-health services increased from 44% to 53%, with adoption of stress-management apps climbing seven points. Nearly 40% of centers launched new wellness initiatives in the past year.
However, training success rates remain a concern—22% of new hires fail to complete training—but more centers are introducing strategies like modular learning and scenario-based simulations to improve outcomes.
"The professionals behind every emergency call are showing remarkable resilience," added Fontes. "But that extraordinary resilience must be matched with extraordinary support from their employers and their communities."
A Sector at a Turning Point
From persistent stress and limited tech to high volumes of both emergency and non-emergency calls and cybersecurity threats, the 2025 Pulse of 9-1-1 paints a sobering yet hopeful picture. Centers are shifting from reactive survival to proactive transformation, prioritizing tech modernization, wellness, and workforce stability.
As one survey participant noted: "There is no pause button in 9-1-1. We need to equip our teams to answer the call—every time."
Methodology
Now in its third year, the Pulse of 9-1-1 survey gathers frontline insight into the emergency communications ecosystem. The 2025 survey reflects responses from 1,379 public safety professionals across roles, geographies, and agency sizes. It is the largest known effort of its kind to track ECC priorities, pressures, and perceptions in real time.
Source: Carbyne