From a very young age, most children are taught to call 911 if they or others are in danger.
It’s one of those basic safety tricks that parents teach to kids as soon as they can remember the instruction, similar to how one mom taught her tot his new address with an easy-to-remember song.
And, for most of us, the instinctive response carries through into adulthood. I’ve still never had to dial 911, but it’s always my first instinct if I think something scary is about to happen.
Unfortunately, however, there are occasionally situations where people are unable to call 911 in an emergency, no matter how much they might need to.
With that in mind, emergency dispatchers all around the country have been updating their systems to include a new feature that might save lives: 911 texting services.
Though the service doesn’t exist everywhere, it has the potential to help a lot of folks.
Read on below to learn more about the service and how one woman used 911 texting to save two small children.
Thumbnail Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
[H/T: Country Living]
A few months back, the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety in Alpharetta, GA, took to Facebook to demonstrate just how lifesaving this new twist on 911 technology is.
The department posted a text conversation from a woman who, uncertain, texted 911 when she saw something suspicious.
She tentatively keys in the number, then asks, "Does 911 work on text?"
After receiving an immediate affirmative from dispatch that texting does work, she communicated her situation.
She explains that she's outside an area mall and sees two small children locked in a car.
As we all know, this is a very dangerous situation, because temperatures can become extreme in closed cars and children have died in similar situations.
The Good Samaritan then goes on to explain why she couldn't call 911 — she is deaf.
With the use of the texting technology, the dispatcher is able to ask her important questions pertinent to finding the kids, and she is able to respond with detailed information about the kids' whereabouts.
Because she doesn't hear, she most likely would not be able to communicate as effectively with the operator on a traditional phone call, because asking and answering questions would be inherently complicated.
Thanks to the 911 text service, officers are able to get information on the car and keep the concerned citizen on hand for further communication.
In ending the conversation, the dispatcher wraps up by thanking the woman for making contact, and they agree that she'll stay nearby to help police officers.
According to Country Living, the story had a happy ending, with police tracking down the tots, who were in the care of a 15-year-old babysitter, and had been in the car for nearly an hour.
The Good Samaritan may not have been able to call the department, but she was still able to do her bit to make sure those kids got home safely.
Similar programs are unrolling all across the country, usually on a case-by-case basis.
Recently, a news reporter in Osceola County, FL, demonstrated the efficacy of the local dispatch's new text program with a simulation of what an emergency text might look like.
Since 911 isn't uniform across states, or even across counties, there's been a lot of variation in which places have the technology and which don't.
Emergency services across the country emphasize that it's generally better and faster to call 911 if you are able to; texting, if it's available, should be reserved for situations where you aren't able to speak for one reason or another.
Still, we hope that similar programs become universal, because they're effective in a wide variety of situations.
As we saw with the Alpharetta case, it may help those who have vocal or auditory impairments.
In other situations, it could help someone who is in a dangerous situation where they can't make noise.
Some people commenting on the post also noted that people who have had a shock often have trouble speaking or hearing, but may still be able to text.
If you applaud this new technology for saving lives, make sure to SHARE so people know that 911 text is there if they need it!
