Beginning April 1, 2022, Sullivan County 911 will be able to receive and process emergency text messages sent to 911. The introduction of texting 911 will make contacting emergency services easier and safer for residents and businesses in Sullivan County. Texting 911 will be beneficial for those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-disabled or those who are in danger and/or cannot speak freely.
However, making a phone call when possible is still the best option to reach 911. Texting should only be for emergency situations when a voice call is not appropriate. Text to 911 takes longer to process because of the delay in the exchange information.
There is a lot that can occur during an emergency and communicating effectively through text can be difficult. One wrong number or letter could send an ambulance or police car to the wrong address.
It is essential to use the fastest and most effective way to get information to the dispatcher. Usually, this is a phone call but, in some cases, texting may be the only option.
For example, if you are in a situation where an attacker or aggressor can overhear you, sending a text maybe the safest option to avoid escalating the situation.
It is still crucial to remind everyone that you should only reach out to 911 for true emergencies and should not utilize texting services as a go-to for non-emergency issues.
How to Text 911
The first thing to know when texting 911, is to use the phone’s native SMS app. 911 texting is not available via Whatsapp, Facebook, Telegram, or any other messaging platform. Most are familiar with how to send a text to new numbers, and texting 911 is no different.
If uncertain, follow these steps to reach a dispatcher:
Type 9-1-1 into the ‘To’ field
Provide Details of the Emergency
When texting 911, remember the dispatcher receiving the message has no idea what is happening where you are. It is vital to share as much relevant information as possible in your first text. Make the information as clear and concise as possible.
Include the following:
Location where help is needed
What emergency response is needed (Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement)
What is happening
Send the Message
A dispatcher will respond and will verify the information received as correct, as well as ask additional questions and provide pre-arrival instructions. It is important to keep the phone active and be ready to respond. Stick to sending short to the point messages without emojis.
While sending a photo, recording, or video may seem a good idea, 911 cannot receive this data this time. In fact, attempting to send these things will turn your message into an MMS message and it will not transmit to 911.
If for some reason, your text does not go through, an automatic “bounce back” message will advise you the message was not received. These messages are designed to minimize the risk of mistakenly believing a text was sent successfully to the 911 center when it failed.
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