Articles

NEWS RELEASE

June 13^th, 2016

Jasper County E-911 Communications Center Launches Text to 9-1-1

(CLICK HERE FOR PDF VERSION OF OFFICIAL RELEASE)

Beginning June 1^st, 2016, the Indiana Statewide 9-1-1 Board, in coordination with Sheriff Terry Risner and 9-1-1 Coordinator Ryan King announced that public safety has taken a major move forward with providing Text to 9-1-1. This service is now available to the citizens and visitors of Jasper County, IN.

Wireless customers in Indiana that use Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile or Sprint should keep the following in mind if they send a text to 9-1-1:

• Customers should use the texting option only when calling 9-1-1 is not an option.

• Using a phone to call 9-1-1 is still the most efficient way to reach emergency help. Texting is not always instantaneous, which is critical during a life-threatening emergency. It may take slightly longer to dispatch emergency services in a Text to 9-1-1 situation because of the time involved.
  
  
• Providing location information and nature of the emergency in the first text message is imperative, since the Indiana communications centers will receive only an approximate location of the cell phone and will not be able to speak with the person sending the text. Text abbreviations or slang should never be used so that the intent of the dialogue can be as clear as possible.
  
  
• Customers must be in range of cell towers in the area. If customers are outside or near the edge of a county, the message may not reach the Communications Center.
  
  
• Texts sent to 9-1-1 have the same 160-character limit as other text messages.
  
  
• Wireless customers must have mobile phones that are capable of sending text messages.
  
  
• The solution is available for customers who use the SMS provided by their Wireless provider. Text to 9-1-1 is not available for third-party text messaging applications.

• The texting function should only be used for emergency situations that require an immediate response from police, fire or emergency medical services. Non-emergency issues should still be communicated to the local municipalities’ communications centers through their non-emergency lines.
  
  
• Text To 9-1-1 should only be to communicate between emergency help and the Texter with no pictures, video, other attachments or other recipients appended to the message.

Communicating with 9-1-1 dispatchers by voice is more effective than Text To 9-1-1. Using text should be limited to the following circumstances:

• When calling 9-1-1 is not possible, such as if the caller is deaf, hearing- or speech-impaired.
  
  
• If a caller is otherwise unable to speak, because of a medical condition (such as a stroke).
  
  
• If speaking would be unsafe, as in the case of abduction or home invasion.

NEWS RELEASE BY: Terry J. Risner, Sheriff of Jasper County