COLUMBUS – People who live in Delaware County, or are just visiting can now send a text message – and in some cases a photo or video – to 911.
Delaware County is the first jurisdiction in central Ohio to offer the service, Jane Hawes, communications manager for the Delaware County Board of Commissioners.
The new service allows a caller to text a message to 911 if the sender is in an emergency situation where remaining silent is necessary or when speaking is not possible and will also help senders who are hearing- or speech-impaired, said Patrick Brandt, director of the Delaware County Emergency Communications Department.
The 911 dispatcher will be able to respond and continue communicating with the sender via text in an emergency situation that requires a person to remain silent, such as a burglary in progress or a kidnapping situation. Brandt says someone who initially sent a text could call back and leave the line open.
“If we can hear what’s happening that will help a lot,” Brandt said.
Dispatchers have completed their training and the service had been certified by all major cellular phone carriers in the County’s area of coverage — Verizon Wireless, AT&T, T-Mobile and Sprint – and Brandt told the commissioners Monday that Sprint users can send text and a short video or picture.
Brandt cautioned that the accuracy of the sender’s location will depend on building structure, weather and available cellular services so senders should provide as much location information to the dispatcher as possible.
Even though the vast majority of users in Delaware County will have access to the service, Brandt said a text sent from a location close to the county line will be transmitted to a cell tower in the next county and the user would get a text reply informing them the text could not be sent.