When you call 911, everything depends on what happens next. But behind the scenes, many dispatch centers are still running on decades-old systems—forcing operators to manage life-and-death moments with tools that weren’t built for today’s world.

Michael Chime walked away from Yale University as a Thiel Fellowship recipient to build a school safety app. That path led him somewhere unexpected: inside the 911 call center—where he found a critical gap almost no one in tech was solving.

What he and his co-founders built became Prepared—a platform now powering dispatch centers across the country with live video, real-time AI translation, and automated call handling that’s already changing outcomes in real emergencies—including translating Mandarin in real time to help coordinate a shooting response.

In this episode, Michael shares multiple stories from the field—moments where better information changed decisions when seconds mattered most. Rick Smith explains why Axon acquired Prepared, what set it apart from every other deal, and why real-world adoption—not slideware—sealed it.

And yes…why Mike still gets to keep his email address.