Residents in San Bernardino County and parts of Riverside County are now able to use their phones to text emergency services thanks to a new program launched earlier this month called “Text 911.”
The new service launched on Dec. 15 was implemented to help those who are hard of hearing, deaf or otherwise cannot use their phones to make a call in life-threatening situations.
“You text via your SMS (short message service) text to 911. The dispatchers will receive that [information] and start a conversation,” said San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department Communications Manager Cyndee Freeman.
Location accuracy depends on the cell phone carrier, so users will have to send their location along with the emergency information. There are also continuing issues with phones in “roaming” mode.
According to the FCC, most consumers cannot reach 911 by sending a text message from their wireless phone. Furthermore, for those who can, the call taker won’t receive the text sender’s information automatically.
“Communications technology has expanded, and the ability for us to receive and respond to text 911 is finally here. Because of ever-changing technology, TDD, telecommunications device for the deaf, and TTY teletypewriters are becoming obsolete. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired will now have the option to text 911 instead of using these old and obsolete devices,” said California Highway Patrol (CHP) Inland Division Assistant Chief Bill Dance during a press conference at the CHP’s Inland Communications Center to roll out the program.
Dance noted that since November, dispatchers have received “numerous” text to 911 notices. System testing has been going on for a least a year, but the December launch date marks the countywide release.
Cal OES Assistant Director for Public Safety Communications Karen Wong praised San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon for being one of the first counties to volunteer for the program and actively seek its implementation.
“As soon as 'Text-to-911' became available about a year ago, the first thing we started hearing at the State 9-1-1 Office is San Bernardino is interested,” Wong said.
The agencies in San Bernardino County and Riverside County reportedly are among the first in California to fully implement the text-to-911 system.
