More than 920 Texts Have Been Sent Through Text To 911 Since December

In the first three months of Text to 911, there have been 920 texts sent to the direct line to dispatchers for deaf and hard of hearing individuals or for people who must remain quiet during an emergency to stay safe.

According to the Department of Public Safety Emergency Communication Networks (DPS-ECN) division, an average of 307 texts per month were sent in.

According to a press release, the following are actual texts to 911 during the first three months of service as reported by dispatchers.

• A person reported shots fired outside their home after hearing the shots and seeing the gunfire through a window. The microphone on their phone was disabled.
• A child texted 911 when their parents were having a domestic dispute. The child was previously punished by her parents after placing a voice call to 911 in a similar situation.
• A person hid in the basement during a burglary. They were scared to make a voice call because the intruder may have heard them. A suicidal individual did not feel comfortable talking to someone, so they texted for help instead.
• A person had difficulty breathing from a panic attack and could not speak, so they texted 911.

If there is an emergency and you cannot call 911, follow these steps:

1. Enter the numbers 911 in the “To” field.
2. Text your exact address and type of emergency.
3. Send the message.
4. Use simple words, but do not include abbreviations, emojis, pictures or slang.
5. Promptly answer questions and follow instructions.

Just as a reminder, Text to 911 is only for emergencies and texting with a false report is a crime. If you accidentally send a text to 911, send another text or call 911 to let the dispatcher know there is no emergency.