Government and Community Engagement

Imagine being lost and unable to find the information you need. Now, picture that is happening in the middle of a natural disaster. To make matters worse, what if the critical information was only available in a language you don't understand? It’s a frightening thought, isn’t it? This is the reality many people face when disaster strikes, highlighting the urgent need for accessible information in multiple languages.

Clear and timely communication is the difference between life and death during natural disasters. This is where AI-powered translation services are revolutionising communication for emergency responders, ensuring that vital information reaches everyone, regardless of language. In this blog post, you will discover how AI translation technology makes emergency response more accessible and inclusive!

## The Global Challenge of Multilingual Emergency Alerts

[Emergency alerts](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212420923000699) are a lifeline in times of crisis. However, for non-native speakers or those unfamiliar with the official language of their region, these alerts may be confusing or even indecipherable. Effectively communicating with a multilingual population during a disaster is a significant challenge. The reason is that rapid and precise delivery of emergency warnings has been proven to reduce casualties, enhancing public safety and trust in the government.

Imagine a scenario where a station is broadcasting a flood warning, but a portion of the community speaks a different language. The delay in understanding instructions can result in delayed evacuations, increased injuries, and even fatalities. Real-world incidents, such as the [2017 California wildfires](https://information.auditor.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2019-103.pdf), [Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005](https://www.oxfamamerica.org/explore/stories/even-in-the-us-disaster-hits-the-most-vulnerable-the-hardest/), the [2013 tornadoes in Oklahoma](https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2013/07/14/oklahoma-storms-many-spanish-speaking-families-struggle-understand-storm-precautions-officials-say/60899944007/), and the 2020 [bushfires in Australia](https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/how-authorities-navigate-language-barriers-during-bushfire-coronavirus-emergencies/snxdpojyw), have all highlighted the dire need for emergency messages to reach people in their native language. These disasters show how language barriers can lead to tragic outcomes, underscoring the global importance of ensuring all communities, regardless of their language, receive critical, life-saving information.

The solution? Rapid and accurate real-time translation to ensure that no one is left out due to language differences.

## The Role of AI in Emergency Translations

AI has emerged as a powerful tool for tackling the language barrier in various situations, including disaster response. AI-driven translation services can swiftly translate text and even spoken words into multiple languages, allowing emergency personnel to disseminate life-saving information instantly.

One of the key benefits of AI-powered translation is its **speed**. During fast-moving disasters like hurricanes or earthquakes, every second counts. Traditional methods of translation, which require manual input and review, simply can’t keep up. Conversely, AI can generate near-instantaneous translations, making it possible to alert multilingual communities without delay.

Accuracy is another crucial aspect. Emergency alerts are often filled with technical terms or urgent instructions that must be conveyed precisely. Thanks to the advancement of natural language processing (NLP), AI can now understand and translate these complex terms while maintaining context and meaning.![Emergency Warning Translations Save Lives](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/6e2cf5375aa9c186c0690fe1d7bd2eae3770e96b1ff2d842865528904eed10b8.webp)

## How AI-Powered Translation Can Save Lives

AI-powered translation services have the potential to become life-saving tools during natural disasters. Consider a flood warning issued in real time to a community where multiple languages are spoken. With AI translation, people receive instructions on evacuation routes, safety protocols, and shelter locations in their native languages, ensuring everyone knows what to do.

In addition, AI helps make emergency communications more inclusive. Vulnerable populations–mainly immigrants, refugees, and tourists–are often left without clear guidance during disasters because they don’t speak the local language. Using AI, emergency services can bridge this gap, allowing the populations to access the same vital information as everyone else.

This is especially important for public safety agencies working in diverse regions where diversity is high. As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, AI-powered tools will become essential for ensuring that all communities receive the information they need to stay safe.

## The Future of AI in Emergency Management

The future of AI in emergency management is promising. Governments and emergency agencies are already exploring ways to integrate AI-powered translation services into their emergency response frameworks. The NSW Government, for instance, has begun harnessing the power of AI to provide more accessible and effective emergency services. AI could soon become a standard feature in emergency management protocols by automating the translation of critical messages and enabling real-time communication between responders and citizens.

However, like any technology, AI has its challenges. Dialects and cultural nuances can still trip up even the most advanced AI models. Developers are working tirelessly to overcome these hurdles by training AI on diverse datasets and incorporating human-in-the-loop systems to ensure translation accuracy.

That said, it's important to note that AI is not meant to replace human translators or emergency personnel. Instead, AI is a powerful tool that can alleviate the immense pressure on responders during a crisis. While AI can rapidly translate information and streamline communication, human oversight remains essential to ensure the context, tone, and specific nuances of emergency alerts are correctly conveyed.

Despite these challenges, the potential benefits far outweigh the drawbacks. The combination of speed, accuracy, and scalability makes AI an indispensable tool for emergency management, particularly in multilingual communities.![Emergency Warning Translations Save Lives](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/44debd47f6c638c2d560b09e0fed1ded708fe15d46af3c0b3cc9e5db17d14490.webp)

## VideoTranslatorAI’s Role in Revolutionising Emergency Communication

At VideoTranslatorAI, we are at the forefront of this revolution. Our AI-powered text translation service is designed to handle multilingual communication's complexities, including in emergency situations. Whether translating evacuation orders or disseminating safety information, our tool ensures that everyone–no matter their language–can access life-saving alerts.

Additionally, our multilingual videoconferencing tool, which offers real-time translation capabilities, allows emergency responders to communicate directly with non-native speakers. This tool facilitates two-way conversations during critical moments. Furthermore, this tool is intuitive and easy to use, resembling popular videoconferencing platforms but enhanced with real-time translations.

Currently, we are collaborating with the NSW Government to integrate our AI-powered translation with the Hazards Near Me app. This innovative project is part of the Natural Hazards Technology Program (NHTP), and we’re eager to make a real impact by advancing communication and accessibility in the emergency management sector!

Read the positive remarks from NSW Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister for Youth Justice, Jihad Dib, about our technology here: Recognition from the NSW Government: Minister Dib Highlights Our AI-Powered Translation Technology at AFAC24

To learn more about our journey with the NHTP project, click here: VideoTranslatorAI Honoured with Grant from the Natural Hazards Technology Program!

## Conclusion

As the world faces more frequent and severe natural disasters, the ability to communicate across languages becomes more critical. AI-powered translation tools are transforming how we respond to these crises, ensuring that vital information reaches everyone, regardless of language barriers. Governments, organisations, and emergency responders must adopt these technologies to ensure a more inclusive, efficient, and life-saving disaster response.

VideoTranslatorAI is proud to be part of this global effort, leveraging AI to save lives and build more resilient communities. The future of emergency management is here–and it speaks every language.If you have questions, [try our product now](https://agent.videotranslator.ai/chat).

More to come, so stay tuned!

Translating Emergency Alerts: How AI Can Save Lives During Natural Disaster

Discover how AI-powered translation transforms emergency management, making communication more efficient and saving more lives

Translate live conversations, capture transcripts, and turn multilingual meetings into structured AI summaries.

VideoTranslatorAI for Live Multilingual Conversations

VideoTranslatorAI helps teams interpret live conversations, transcribe speech, and turn multilingual meetings into structured summaries.

AI Translation for Live Multilingual Conversations

Speak Clearly, Record What Matters

## Teams Offering

VideoTranslatorAI transforms how teams communicate by enabling truly multilingual interactions. Whether it's real- time video conferencing with colleagues on the other side of the world, a face - to - face meeting with international partners, or broadcasting in multiple languages at once, our platform ensures that language barriers become a thing of the past. Seamless translation and transcription tools work in harmony so that everyone can speak their language and still be fully understood. VideoTranslatorAI fosters genuine collaboration, builds stronger relationships, and creates a more inclusive environment for global teams, from sales calls with prospects in different countries to company - wide announcements.

## Enterprise Offering

For organizations seeking large-scale language solutions, VideoTranslatorAI’s Enterprise offering provides a robust, agile framework for automating your content operations (ContentOps) or language operations (LangOps). We leverage dedicated servers, API access, complex grammar rules for style guidance, and prefilled translation fragments to create a hybrid model that delivers real-time translations in high-volume scenarios. By integrating these capabilities, companies can centralize and streamline their workflows, ensuring consistent brand voice and faster go-to-market timelines. With VideoTranslatorAI Enterprise, global reach is no longer a challenge - it's a competitive advantage.


Find VideoTranslatorAI media coverage, company updates, and context for live translation, transcription, and multilingual AI workflows.

VideoTranslatorAI Media Coverage and Company News

Media

We are thrilled to announce that VideoTranslatorAI has been selected as a recipient of a prestigious grant from the [Natural Hazard Technology Program (NHTP](https://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/rd-action-plan/natural-hazards-technology-program)), administered by the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE). This program aims to enhance community resilience and safety through innovative technology solutions, and we are honoured to contribute our expertise to this vital initiative.

![medium_image_76da2d20bc.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/83c02b62a4cbb1b2fc231bca1f890b7d320807b24d0b60c2d799017d11b728cb.png)

## What is the Natural Hazard Technology Program?
As part of our NHTP-funded project, VideoTranslatorAI, in collaboration with the University of Newcastle (UoN), is developing an AI-powered tool that will assist emergency service providers in translating critical warnings into the top seven non-English languages. This solution, known as EmergencyCALD, offers real-time translation in text translation to ensure effective communication during emergencies.

The NHTP project perfectly aligns with VideoTranslatorAI’s mission to leverage AI technology to overcome linguistic barriers and enable effective communications in a diverse environment. We believe our solution not only addresses the challenges faced by emergency service providers but also enhances public safety for everyone.

![medium_image_b5b24b1e0d.png](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/2798fce1e215d3675c65fafd429c451c0831915f4d69de99f0fe79c3f3b69c9b.png)

## Appreciation Remarks
As we look ahead, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has supported and collaborated with us on this incredible journey. A special thank you to the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) for their continued trust and belief in our vision. We are also deeply grateful to our partners at the NSW Department of Customer Service (DCS), NSW State Emergency Service (SES), and NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) for their unwavering dedication and invaluable insights throughout this project. 

A big thank you to Scott Colefax, Kristen Mulligan, Caroline Residovic, and Jaclyn Aldenhoven from OCSE, as well as Lara Gray and Jane Childs from DCS, Kirra Waine and Peter Cinque from SES, and Simon Herring and Conor Deans from RFS. Your contributions have played a pivotal role in driving this initiative forward, and we’re excited to continue working together to bring innovative, multilingual emergency solutions to life.

## Conclusion
This grant represents a significant milestone for VideoTranslatorAI as we strive to make a meaningful impact on community safety and resilience. We are excited to embark on this journey with our esteemed partners from UoN, and we look forward to sharing our progress with you.

Stay tuned for updates on our multilingual emergency service platform as we work together to build a safer, more inclusive future for all residents of NSW. Together, we can overcome the challenges posed by natural hazards and ensure that everyone has access to information and support in times of crisis.

Thank you for your support!

VideoTranslatorAI Honoured with Grant from the Natural Hazards Technology Program!

Excited to share our collaboration with OCSE, DCS, SES, and RFS in developing innovative multilingual emergency solutions to enhance public safety for all.

In today's interconnected world, effective communication plays a critical role in emergency situations. However, language barriers often hinder efficient information exchange, potentially delaying response times and jeopardizing lives.

Recognizing this challenge, VideoTranslator AI, working with Mel Taylor and Kiwako Ito, has launched Project Trusted Lingo, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at empowering emergency services professionals with the ability to translate emergency communications into 20+ languages. 

As a testament to its significance, VideoTranslator AI's poster submission has been accepted at the prestigious [AFAC conference](https://www.afacconference.com.au/the-conferences), where industry experts will gather to explore cutting-edge advancements in emergency services.

## Collaborative Expertise
At the heart of Project Trusted Lingo lies collaboration. VideoTranslator AI has partnered with [Mel Taylor](https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/persons/mel-taylor-2), an esteemed emergency communications expert from Macquarie University. With her extensive experience and deep understanding of the challenges faced by emergency services communications professionals, Mel brings invaluable insights to the project. Additionally, the collaboration extends to [Kiwako Ito](https://www.newcastle.edu.au/profile/kiwako-ito), a linguistics professor from the University of Newcastle. Kiwako's expertise in language analysis and translation further enriches the project's capabilities.

## Empowering Emergency Services Professionals
Project Trusted Lingo aims to revolutionize emergency services communications by bridging the language gap and providing accurate real-time translation support. By leveraging advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies, VideoTranslator AI is developing a user-friendly platform that emergency services professionals can rely on during critical operations.

The platform will enable instant, accurate translation of emergency communications, ensuring that vital information is conveyed in the native languages of individuals involved. Check out our poster submission!

![large_trusted_lingo_v6_fef74286b5.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/321e583d9d1dfdf29eb836966183c1f04ef886a7d87fa09186a24ccbd200962e.webp)

## Benefits and Impact
The implications of [Project Trusted Lingo](https://videotranslator.ai/blog/inclusive-and-effective-the-power-of-local-information-champions-in-emergency-services/) are far-reaching. By equipping emergency services professionals with the ability to communicate effectively in multiple languages, response times can be significantly reduced, leading to more efficient emergency management.

Timely and accurate translations will also improve the overall coordination between international agencies during joint operations, enhancing interoperability, collaboration and fostering a global approach to emergency services communications.

## The AFAC Conference
The acceptance of VideoTranslator AI's poster submission at the AFAC conference highlights the industry's recognition of the project's significance. The conference, known for bringing together experts and professionals from the emergency services sector, serves as an ideal platform to showcase this potential advancement in emergency communications capability.

Mel Taylor will be at the event to talk about the work to an audience of emergency services professionals, providing valuable insights into the project's development and its potential impact on the field.

## Reach Out And Collaborate
As Project Trusted Lingo continues to progress, the team remains committed to refining and enhancing the platform's capabilities. Feedback and insights gathered from emergency services professionals at the AFAC conference will be invaluable in shaping the future direction of the project.

By fostering ongoing collaborations and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, we aim to empower emergency services professionals worldwide with the tools they need to overcome language barriers and save lives. This means we are very keen to hear from professionals who are interested! Say hello to [Mel Taylor](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mel-taylor-01a4ba2a/) at the conference, reach out via email ([safety@videotranslator.ai](mailto:safety@videotranslator.ai)) or scan the QR code at the event!

## Conclusion
Project Trusted Lingo represents a significant leap forward in emergency services communications. With its ambitious goal of providing trusted real-time translation support in over 20 languages, VideoTranslator AI is poised to revolutionize the way emergency services professionals communicate and collaborate with CALD communities.

The acceptance of our poster submission at the AFAC conference not only validates the project's importance but also opens doors for further collaboration and industry recognition. Together, VideoTranslator AI, Mel Taylor, Kiwako Ito, and the global emergency services community are working towards a safer and more connected world.

Our Trusted Lingo Poster Was Accepted At AFAC '23!

Our poster on Project Trusted Lingo was accepted at the AFAC Conference. Learn more about our work and say hello to Mel Taylor at the event!

DISCLAIMER: This blog post was updated after having a conversation with JobsForNSW. [3 Dec 2019]
**
Please check the JobsForNSW website for updates. The process covered below changes regularly and DO NOT rely on the below to be correct going forward. It was correct at time of publication, but talking to the JobsForNSW staff it is LIKELY to change pretty soon.**

Earlier this year we put in an application for a Minimum Viable Product Grant from JobsForNSW, a [NSW Government initiative](https://www.nsw.gov.au/).

In this blog post we are going to look at the entire process and work through our successful application. Specifically:

What is the MVP grant and where do you get more information?
What the grant process looks like and what information we had to provide to get the grant.
What the grant process was like, step by step, at a procedural level.

The point of this post is to provide information to anyone else within the Sydney/NSW startup ecosystem who is also looking into this grant and potentially applying.

Will probably do another post of the content of (a) the videotranslator.ai grant application itself, and (b) the progress report at the end.

We are also hoping to have a follow up post where we talk to one of the officers inside JobsForNSW to get a insider view into how the process works.

## What Is The JobsForNSW MVP (Minimum Viable Product) Grant?
From the JobsForNSW website, Minimum Viable Product (MVP) grants are designed to support promising startups with the funds needed to progress from a proof of concept stage to a minimum viable product. The grants are aimed at startups that are yet to generate revenue to help them engage with a potential business customer, or channel to market, and create innovative solutions that address compelling industry needs or market gaps.

## How Much Money Can I Get From The JobsForNSW MVP Grant?
From the JobsForNSW website, An MVP grant is a matched funding grant up to 50% of approved project costs, to a maximum of $25,000.

Remember: You do not have to ask for the full $25,000.

In the specific case of videotranslator.ai we had a total project cost of $41,400.00. The idea is JobsForNSW is funding 50% of approved project costs, to a maximum of $25,000. Hence the amount we ended up getting for our project was $41,400 * 0.5 = $20,700.

## Assuming We Get The Grant - What Is The Timeline For The Application Process?
From the JobsForNSW website, Successful grant applicants will receive 35% of the funding up-front and 65% after completion and validation of the MVP.

The exact sequence of events is provided below:

**DISCLAIMER: SmartyGrants below is the old system - JobsForNSW are transitioning to a new system.**
- You put in your application using an online system called SmartyGrants. The form itself is fairly straightforward - we did not use any external consultants.
- You get a notification saying your submission has been received. This is an email and looks like below. **Note the blacked out telephone numbers and emails are public, but have been hidden to the JobsForNSW staff don’t get spammed. If you really need to reach them, get creative with Google.**

![large_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_1_2d841642ba.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/b3b2d6cad41e3d63f80db42c944b867368afab8c72e923fcb555222e1d501099.webp)

- You get another notification saying you have been moved to round 1 of the selection process. Unless your application is terrible and you have not completed the form, you should get to here without too many issues. It looks like below:

![large_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_2_7333df57c9.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/94b2e99e9ab9dfd3f3359d084cd98de17d450b32322fbfe6bcc52df1b0895fec.webp)

- Once here JobsForNSW has an internal process. In another post we will talk about how that exactly works. For now, the application goes to an internal committee and either you get the grant or you don’t get the grant.
- In our specific case, videotranslator.ai got the grant - Winning! Also, on winning the grant you get notified by email. This looks like below:

![large_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_3_7d07efd6c7.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/540d11a63436a2bbb7028f119c2391d7db524193d9f85b7b2484602f2ffe2ede.webp)

- You will also get another email, from a person - that how you know :)

![medium_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_3b_a6b1b3e79a.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/7468d364e7740c615562758151a39f68e53b73ff73b07250cd2d0d835e9f2444.webp)

- Download the deed, and make sure you sign and return the contract.

![medium_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_3c_0908e6e6c5.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/27f7927293f5c4bd3b6b3bfff43e0e760ff1b293cc161421a983ad71b4571db5.webp)

- Sweet - the entire process took maybe 8 weeks - its a pretty quick turnaround.

## Assuming We Get The Grant - What Do I Need To Know About The Deed?
The grant is fairly simple. That being said, there are a few things which are really important:
- The grant will cover the budget you put into your application. You really want to get this part right!

![medium_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_5_6a2f148313.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/d1855567226fa0babac3abcda8b75eab14dfff12f7bb071ad87dcd799629ac1a.webp)

- Additionally, it is important that 80% of the Project Costs are within NSW. This does not mean if you pay Google Cloud or AWS or Azure you are in breach, it means that you can use a maximum of 20% of your budget on offshore resources. You also need to be aware that the duration of the projects is a maximum of 6 months.
- Don’t worry too much about being too specific - in private conversations, the JobsForNSW staff understand you are a startup and maybe not everything works out. They understand that you are trying to do something really hard, and not everything goes to plan always.

![medium_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_6_e082418728.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/081ad68120eec7ed87ca496fd3f1124151dd66530208c50b826eb13d37a160c1.webp)

- Lastly, the deed will cover exactly what JobsForNSW will fund and its timing. This looks like so:

![medium_blog_assets_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_winning_how_we_won_a_jobsfornsw_mvp_grant_7_281381b331.webp](https://storage.googleapis.com/vtai-web-media-prod/cms/originals/blog-inline/8674b32e896839333cf5acea1ccdffec7159dcc26754d266eeae30903df50c1d.webp)

- You're good to go!

## Assuming We Get The Grant - What Is The Timeline For The Project?
The main points to know:

1. The payment is in two parts. The first 35% is pretty much immediate. You raise and invoice and that is it.
2. The second part happens at the end of the project. You submit a report (using the same online application), have a meeting with your advisor, and then raise another invoice for the remaining 65% of the grant monies. 
3. That is kind of it in terms of process.

## Conclusion
We are super grateful to JobsForNSW. We did complete out prototype, filling out bits that did not work very well. We picked up a client (hopefully they will become a keystone client) during the project, and the client is super happy with our work.

Personally, we have not yet reached product-market fit, which I think of as having a scaleable sales process for your product at a good customer acquisition number (CAC), rather than product itself, but also think we are well on our way 😃 😃

## Thank You
I spoke to some other folks at Fishburners for advice through the process and after. Would like to thank the folks below, you guys are awesome.

1. David Cox at QAChef.
2. Man LEE at Sana.
3. Peter Boyer at Muster - a mate at Fishburners was curious about the MVP process. Hope you get the grant bud!

Check out the above startups - they are doing very cool technology stuff!

Please connect with us on LinkedIn, YouTube or Facebook for any comments, questions, or just to keep up to date with the work we do!

We are very grateful for your support!

Winning: We Won The JobsForNSW MVP Grant! Before, During And After...

A behind-the-scenes look at the JobsForNSW MVP grant journey, from application to execution and lessons learned.

How VideoTranslatorAI Won a JobsForNSW MVP Grant

We use cookies to improve your experience. By continuing to browse, you agree to our

Multilingual interpretation, transcription, and structured summaries for high-stakes conversations.