[Scan-DC] Text-to-911 in Southwest Virginia

[Bruce Harper]

Residents in Montgomery County, Virginia, can now make a 911 emergency
"call" by sending a text message. The 911 dispatch center is located in the
former Montgomery County courthouse in downtown Christiansburg, refurbished
as the public safety building. The center consolidated individual
dispatchers for the county, the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, and
Virginia Tech into a unified service. It is now easier to coordinate
emergency responses and initiate mutual aid calls. Adding Text-to-911
allows those with a hearing or speech impairment or who might be in a
situation where talking isn't possible.

Bruce in Blacksburg

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Here is the release about the new service:

NRV911 Implements Text-to-911 Technology

The New River Valley Emergency Communication Authority implements
Text-to-911 technology for individuals who cannot safely call 9-1-1 in a
dangerous situation, or for those who are deaf, hearing impaired, or have a
speech impediment.

The New River Valley Emergency Communication Authority (NRV911) has
successfully implemented Text-to-911 technology for individuals to report
emergencies who cannot safely call 9-1-1 in a dangerous situation, or for
those who are deaf, hearing impaired, or have a speech impediment.

"NRV911 is excited to offer Text-to-911 as an additional layer of service
to our community as we are constantly striving to provide exceptional
service to the public," said NRV911 Interim Director, Bradley St. Clair.

"Offering Text-to-911 will help ensure individuals who may not be able to
contact 911 through traditional means are provided an option in the form of
text messaging. Please keep in mind calling 911 is still the best option
for quick response; however, should you have a situation where calling
places you in danger, or clear communication cannot be achieved via voice
calling, you now have the option to text 911 for help," said St. Clair.

In instances where making a traditional voice call to 911 is not ideal or
available, cellular callers using either the Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, U S
Cellular, or T-Mobile networks are now able to send emergency text messages
to NRV911 call takers.

Text-to-911 does not replace calling 9-1-1, and is intended for:
* Callers who are hearing or voice impaired.
* Medical emergencies that render callers incapable of talking.
* When speaking aloud could put the caller in danger such as an abduction,
a home invasion robbery, or a domestic violence situation.

Tips for using Text-to-911 in an emergency:
* Provide the exact location of the emergency as we cannot always determine
your location.
* Describe what type of help is needed (Police, Fire, Rescue).
* Keep text messages brief and concise. Use simple words not abbreviations.
* Be prepared to answer follow-up questions from the 911 call taker.
* Do not send emoji’s, photos, or videos.
* Silence your phone if you don’t want to be heard.
* Do not text and drive.

Please remember texting 911 will take longer as the 911 call taker must
read the text and prepare a response. As with normal texting, 911 texts can
be delayed and thus NRV911 recommends traditional calls to 911 as the
primary option as they are the fastest way to get help. To learn more about
the NRV911, visit
https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__www.nrv911.org_&d=DwIGaQ&c=iAWSY1t9C8GWtZuj3vGmSIXn6mQB7nigR9AcmCl-a7o&r=6Mf34AlVuWxuTG4wEmS-qA&m=IxJgAAArBzFnDxvUzhD9G81p8u930_VDkJPV9lSrTSs&s=ThawdXYzESUTHUfg0a5L6kKeBbsG9acdppdHBfP9Rhs&e=
.