Residents of Lewisville, and all of Denton County, have a new tool at their disposal should they need help in an emergency situation and are unable to speak or hear. The Denco Area 9-1-1 District now accommodates text-to-911, which allows residents and visitors to interact with public safety agencies via the text message feature of their wireless phone.
Making a voice call to 9-1-1 is always the best way to get help in an emergency. However, if you are in a situation where speaking could put you in danger or you have trouble hearing or speaking, sending a text to 9-1-1 may be your best option.
When texting to 9-1-1, just enter “911” in the number field; do not include any spaces or dashes. In the message field, type in your exact location including the address, if possible. Be as detailed as possible if you do not know the address – using intersections and landmarks. Type a brief description of the problem, press send.
A text message is routed to a 9-1-1 call center based on location, just like a 9-1-1 call. Agencies can transfer text messages to other agencies, to ensure prompt emergency response.
Important Tips on texts to 9-1-1
- Pictures and videos cannot be sent to 9-1-1, so only use text.
- Keep your messages brief and to the point.
- Avoid using slang or abbreviations.
- The 9-1-1 personnel will ask questions and give instructions; do not leave the conversation until instructed to by 9-1-1 personnel.
- When traveling outside of the Denco Area 9-1-1 district jurisdiction, text to 9-1-1 is not available universally. In the event you attempt to text 9-1-1 from an area where it is not available, you will receive an automated message from the wireless phone provider indicating that a voice call must be placed to 9-1-1.
Remember, in an emergency your voice still works better to ensure the fastest and most appropriate and reliable response. However, there are going to be situations where voice-to-voice is just not an option. The thing to remember is call when you can, text if a voice call is not possible or practical.
