911 textingTexas cities adopt 911 texting
Adding to the rising number of U.S. cities that accept 911 emergency texts, North Texas public safety agencies will now institute the procedure at their response centers. 911 emergency texting not only helps the deaf, but it better caters to younger generations that do not recognize as much the divide between text and voice communications. The texting of additional media such as photos before the responders reach the site could also have a profound impact on the development of an emergency situation.
Getting help by texting 911 spreads // Source: illinois.gov
Adding to the rising number of U.S. cities that accept 911 emergency texts, North Texas public safety agencies will now institute the procedure at their response centers.
As theDallas Morning News reports, “officials from many of the agencies believe that texting to 911 is the next step forward for emergency response and policing.” Like other suburban cities such as Allentown, Pennsylvania, many centers in Texas are serving as models for the new system. Richardson, Texas communications manager Liz Cole told the paper that “bringing 911 into the future is a journey, not a destination. And texting will support a demand once the message about its availability gets out.”
Regarding the applications of the new addition, Waxahachie dispatch supervisor Marie Stevens said, “It’s set up for people in situations that talking on the phone would be dangerous to their being. It’s set up to where they can text us now on 911…If they’re hiding or something like that with somebody in the house.”
Additionally, Andrew Phillips, an attorney for the National Association of the Deaf, added, “We have heard some bad stories of deaf and hard of hearing people struggling to connect to 911 through relay services in time of emergency, especially via mobile devices. We believe that being able to text 911 will make 911 easier to reach and more accessible.”
Cole also added that the shift will better cater to younger generations that do not recognize as much the divide between text and voice communications. The texting of additional media such as photos before the responders reach the site could also have a profound impact on the development of an emergency situation.
Presently, Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile are the only carriers that have updated systems able to manage text messages to 911. AT&T is said to be working on the technology.
