LOCKPORT, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Niagara County Sheriff's Office Emergency Communications Center can now receive "Text to 9-1-1" calls from cell phones in the county.
According to the sheriff's office, the new technology was part of a complete upgrade to its 9-1-1 phone system.
“The Sheriff’s Office has been working diligently to implement text to 9-1-1 in Niagara County. This feature will give a voice to those who would otherwise be unable to make a phone call in that emergency situation. I credit the work of our Communications Division for overseeing this project and bringing Niagara County into the next generation of 9-1-1”
- Niagara County Sheriff Michael J. Filicetti
The sheriff's office describes how to use the technology below:
- Enter the number "911" in the "To" field.
- The first text message to 9-1-1 should be brief and contain the location of the emergency and the type of help needed.
- Push the “Send” button.
- Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker.
- Text in simple words – do not use abbreviations, “emojis,” or slang.
- Keep text messages brief and concise.
The sheriff's office said a voice 9-1-1 call is still the best way for callers to exchange information with dispatchers.
The National Emergency Number Association encourages you to use the following guidelines when making a Text to 9-1-1 call:
- Place a voice call to 9-1-1, if possible.
- Text messaging calls should only be used in extreme situations where it is unsafe to make a voice call to 9-1-1 or when a caller cannot communicate via a voice call. These situations may include:
- Domestic violence
- Home invasion
- School campus violence
- Natural disaster
- Callers who are deaf, deaf-blind, late-deafened, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities
- Any other situation where speaking out loud could put the citizen in further danger.
- It is important to remember that several factors may cause a text message to take longer to process than a voice call; these include:
- A text needs to be typed
- The message needs to travel through the system
- The 9-1-1 dispatcher must read the text
- The 9-1-1 dispatcher must type a response
- Texting is not always instantaneous. As with all text messages, 9-1-1 messages can take longer to receive, get out of order, or may not be received.
- Text messages may have length limitations (i.e., 160 characters) that may cause the message to be bifurcated or cut off part of the message.
- In some instances, text messaging does not carry location information or is not equal to the current location technology with a voice 9-1-1 call; therefore, the caller should provide it in the first text message requesting help.
- Text to 9-1-1 service provided within the boundaries of Niagara County may not be available in other areas of the State or Country. If texting to 9-1-1 is unavailable in your location or temporarily
unavailable, you will receive a message indicating that texting 9-1-1 is unavailable and to contact 9-1-1 by other means. - Text-to-9-1-1 is not available if you are roaming.
- A text or data plan is required to place a text-to-9-1-1; fees related to sending messages could apply based on the individual device owner's service plan.
- Photos and videos cannot be sent to 9-1-1 at this time.
- Text-to-9-1-1 cannot include more than one person. Do not send your emergency text to anyone other than 9-1-1.
- Do not text and drive!
