Futuri has partnered with the Florida Division of Emergency Management and University of Florida to launch “BEACON“, an AI-powered emergency communication system.
Futuri says BEACON combines AI with the resiliency of broadcast technology to transform how emergency managers and first responders communicate with communities before, during, and after disasters. This marks the nation’s first 24/7 emergency preparedness network, providing critical, real-time information to keep citizens safe during emergencies. It is said to ensure a unified, consistent message across all platforms. It automatically captures, prioritizes, and translates 100% of public safety information from authorized government sources, localizing this content based on geography and translating it into multiple languages, ensuring no community is left without vital information.
BEACON is currently available on 89.1 WUFT-HD4 Gainesville and iOS and Android apps that feature content feeds for every major metropolitan area in Florida. The system provides automatic capture, prioritization, and translation of 100% of public safety information from authorized sources and the localized the content based on geography with translations in multiple languages to create dedicated audio and video feeds as well as a 24/7 dashboard for broadcast studios and geo-fenced content in Spanish and English.
University of Florida Director of Media Properties Randy Wright stated, “BEACON is the first ‘always-on’ alerting channel, developed at the University of Florida’s public media WUFT-TV/FM, which is also home to the nationally recognized Florida Public Radio Emergency Network. BEACON provides hyper-local alerting solutions for every community in the state of Florida using broadcast infrastructure that is largely in place and already operational. BEACON utilizes artificial intelligence in an entirely new way for the public good, ensuring official alerts and advisories are available to the public 24/7/365 without the need for a cell phone, computer, or other device. Based in broadcast, the most resilient of media, BEACON is truly ‘safety first, always on.'”
CEO Daniel Anstandig commented, “Futuri, along with FDEM and the University of Florida, identified a gap in the timely delivery of critically important messaging to the public, providing the opportunity to introduce a new critical communication infrastructure to Florida’s – and other communities – hardest hit disaster areas. This first-of-its-kind communications tool automates important updates and advisories into radio broadcasts voiced by AI – getting potentially life-saving information to the community faster than ever before.”
FEDM Executive Director Kevin Guthrie commented, “BEACON provides a 24/7/365 solution to all government agencies with this first-of-its-kind communications tool, automating important updates and advisories into radio broadcasts voiced by artificial intelligence and getting them out to the community faster than ever before.”
Futuri says the system is being stress tested across every Florida media market and will then expand beyond the state working directly with governors’ offices and emergency managers nationwide to implement and ensure local broadcasters have access to the content feed to deliver the necessary information to their communities.
A demo of BEACON during the landfall of Hurricane Milton can be heard on its website.
