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Texting Emergency Services in Cuyahoga County

Posted in Accident & Injury on September 6, 2017

Everyone knows the number to call in a serious emergency: 911. But what happens if you are in a situation where you simply can’t call or if the phone lines at emergency services are backed up?

What about texting? If you could send a text message to emergency services, it could save time and give you the chance to contact them even if a traditional phone call is impossible.

How the new texting system works

According to a report on Cleveland.com, Cuyahoga County recently rolled out a texting option for 911. It is as simple as it seems. Instead of calling 911, you can shoot a text to the same number, giving the dispatcher the necessary details of your emergency situation.

If you are outside of the county when you send the text, it will still go to the Cuyahoga County dispatcher who will ascertain your location and call the appropriate emergency service office.

The benefits of emergency texting

Some of the benefits of being able to text rather than call emergency services include:

  • Hard of hearing: There are more than 25,000 people in Cuyahoga County who are hard of hearing, according to Brandy Carney, director of public safety and justice services. The ability to text 911 will be a tremendous benefit to these people.
  • Dangerous situations that require silence: If there is an intruder in the house or some other dangerous situation that requires silence, texting 911 rather than calling could help you contact emergency services while avoiding detection.
  • Overloaded emergency services: There are times when Cuyahoga County emergency services get overloaded with calls. Being able to send a text will get word to them about your emergency more quickly.
  • Dysfunctional phone: If your cell phone’s telephone features aren’t working properly but the texting feature is still intact, you can still contact 911 in an emergency.

Clearly, texting capability for 911 emergency services is a tremendous benefit to the people of Cleveland and the surrounding areas. If you are in an emergency situation and a traditional call is not an option, please do remember the option of texting so you can get the emergency response team you need.

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