Texting 911

It was in February of 1968 that an Alabama senator made the first call to 911, testing an emergency system that now receives about 270 million calls a year across the country. Many 911 dispatch centers still struggle with landline-based equipment even though 80 percent of emergency calls come from cell phones. However, several special service districts across Utah are now equipped for 911 texts.

The benefits are obvious. If you’re in a situation where speaking into a phone would give away your location to an intruder, it could save your life. The school shooting in Parkland, FL is a prime example; students either whispered calls to 911 or sent texts to someone they knew outside the school, asking them to call in their information.

But it also comes with limitations as technology catches up with the new potential. Here are a few things to remember:

• Only text an emergency message to 911 when a call would put you at risk. Make sure your ringtone is turned down so message alerts don’t tip off your whereabouts.

• Don’t use textspeak. While you might think everyone knows AFAICT means “as far as I can tell,” you don’t want to bet your life on it. English is preferred as interpreters might not be readily available.

• Include as much information as possible. First and foremost, start with location. Though television’s cop shows make it look easy to track you down through your cell signal, the corresponding cell towers could send you into a neighboring county. Be specific; the house number, street, and town but also indicate where in the building you are. This is especially critical in a high-rise or sprawling structure such as a school.

• Do not send the emergency message through a group text. This could prevent the dispatcher from receiving your text. Don’t send emojis, pictures, emoticons, and videos since most dispatcher services can’t receive them. If you get a return message that says services are not available, call 911 instead of trying to send another text.

• The new text-to-911 service also benefits those who are hard of hearing or have difficulty speaking. The same rules apply – be precise, include your location, and stay safe.

The bottom line: when using text-to-911 make it as easy as possible for first-responders to get there quickly and resolve the situation. Use it wisely.