Text-to-9-1-1

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Text-to-911 is a technology that enables emergency call takers to receive text messages.[1] Its use is encouraged for the hearing impaired and in situations when it is too dangerous to call.[2] Text-to-911 has been supported by the four major cellular providers in the United States since 2014,[3] but as of October 2018 it is only supported by approximately 1,600 of more than 6,000 emergency call centers.[4]

Adoption[]

The FCC maintains a registry of areas supporting text-to-911. All carriers are required to send bounce-back messages to inform the sender that the message could not be received if text-to-911 is not supported by the local call center.[5]

Statewide Support[]

The National Association of the Deaf provides a map of states providing text-to-911.[11]

Challenges[]

Call centers are usually funded by both state and federal funding.[4] Limited funding and outdated technology have slowed the adoption of text-to-911.[4] Voice-based calls are still preferred and considered the more efficient form of communication.[1] Many cities are concerned about overuse of texting, which may slow response times.[2] Texts to 911 are not prioritized so they may be slow to be delivered.[5]

History[]

In August 2009, Waterloo, Iowa was the first county to begin receiving texts to 911.[12]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Tsukayama, Hayley. "What you need to know about texting 911". Washington Post. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "Too dangerous to talk? Some cities explore 911 texting". AP NEWS. 2016-07-05. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  3. ^ "U.S.' Text-To-911 Service Goes Live, But You Probably Can't Use It Yet". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Why is it so hard to text 911?". AP NEWS. 2018-10-31. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Text Messaging 911 Takes Effect: What You Need to Know". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  6. ^ "Text to 911: How Often It's Being Used". NBC Connecticut. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  7. ^ {{Cite web|url= https://news.delaware.gov/2018/03/05/text-911/%7Ctitle= New “Text-to-911” Feature Now Available Statewide
  8. ^ Staff (2018-06-03). "After 4 years, Indiana embraces text-to-911 in emergencies". WISH-TV | Indianapolis News | Indiana Weather | Indiana Traffic. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  9. ^ KWQC. "Text 911 now available in Iowa". www.kwqc.com. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  10. ^ "Text-to-911 Available Statewide in Minnesota". www.govtech.com. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  11. ^ "National Association of the Deaf - NAD". www.nad.org. Retrieved 2020-03-10.
  12. ^ Svensson, Peter (2009-08-05). "Iowa 911 center is first to accept text messages". msnbc.com. Retrieved 2020-03-10.

External links[]

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