The FCC held hearings on the possibility of a Text-to-911. The four major wireless carriers made an agreement among them to implement Text-to-911 as quickly as possible, but no later than May 15, 2014. The carriers also agreed to implement a “bounce back” messaging that would inform anyone trying to send a text to the 911 system that the technology hadn’t been implemented yet.
A few local areas have already started using the system. Read the article for more on this technological advance.
I find stuff like this totally cool. It’s sensible. It will be of assistance to law enforcement and other emergency officials. Not only can the person sending the message also send pictures of the incident, persons who are deaf or have speech impediments would find it of use.
I have a friend of friend who had a tonsillectomy day surgery as a grownup. The next night, she was home alone when she started to hemorrhage. Having no land line, she tried to call 911 on her cell phone, but couldn’t be understood. On her way to try to find a neighbor to help her, she bled to death. A service like Text-to-911 might possibly have saved her life.
I’m sorry we didn’t think of this sooner, but now that we have, I am so happy they are moving expeditiously to get it online.