Text-to-911: a New Upgrade to an Outdated Emergency System
Sprint, Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile and AT&T are now providing customers in 16 states with a text-to-911 service. All service providers will be required to offer it by the end of this year.
The service was first used in Black Hawk County, Iowa, in 2009. Judy Flores, director of the county’s consolidated communication, said the service “works great” and is expecting Iowa to expand the service statewide soon.
The four major service providers all volunteered to support the “broader push to use technology to enhance the information that can be provided to emergency responders and to put emergency call centers on an equal footing with the technology many people carry in their pockets,” according to the Associated Press report. The current emergency dispatch system dates back to the 1960s, and many providers believe it’s time for an upgrade. Although the service wasn’t available for 911 calls, the text-for-help service is already used in some stadiums. Fans can now report disruptive or aggressive behavior to security via text to avoid confrontation.
Unfortunately in some emergencies, a 911 call can cause more harm than good. Local governments in the 16 states are pushing the new service to help those who are unable to make voice calls for help, such as deaf people in need or people in domestic violence situations.
As of now, the text-to-911 only permits text messages, although consumers may see it include photos, videos and location information as the new generation of technology expands.
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