Union City, Tenn.–Obion County Emergency Communications District (E-911) has announced it has joined the growing number of communities which are able to receive Text-to-911.
Sherri Hanna, Executive Director of the Obion County Emergency Communications District, said, “This technology was adapted to better serve our deaf and hard-of-hearing communities initially as a modern answer to TTY and TDD machines. In addition, there are times in geographical locations where a text can get out when a voice call cannot; the same goes for disasters.”
Tennessee’s 911 Districts continue to lead the nation in matters from Next Generation 911 adoption to leading in Missing Kids Readiness Partnership Program participants with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
“We want everyone to remember that it is always better to call and speak to the 911 dispatchers if possible,” Hanna said. “But if a person cannot get a voice call out or cannot speak for a valid reason, then sending a text to 911 is recommended. If the text comes through to a text-enabled center like ours, the person should be ready to answer some brief questions just as if on a 911 call. Remember–call when you can, text if you can’t.”
Text-to-911 is not available in all jurisdictions, and a text that goes to those areas without text capabilities will just receive a bounceback message. Mrs. Hanna does remind all that pictures and videos are not accepted now; in the future they may be sent to a clearinghouse so that they are routed directly to responders.