Text-to-911 advances
I recently read a story about the rollout of text-to-911 services in New Jersey. Rather than requiring someone to make a voice call, the person can send a text message to 911.
This has its advantages – for example, in situations where “people … fear being overheard when contacting 911,” the ability to quietly send a text is a plus. In addition, younger people who are used to texting in general may prefer this method.
It also has disadvantages. When two-way communication between the caller and the dispatcher is required, it’s much faster to do it by voice rather than by text.
Toward the end of the article, the following statement was included:
A representative of the state Office of Emergency Telecommunications Services did not return a call seeking comment.
Should have sent a text!
tymshft 