Need help? It’s a simple as a text message to 911
GLASGOW, Ky.- The Emergency Communications Center in Glasgow is celebrating a new program that will allow you to text 911 in an emergency.
It’s is a way to discretely call for help in an emergency, all you must do is get out your cellphone and send a text.
The emergency communications center started testing the program last year, and officials say you can already start texting 911 now.
“Pick up your phone. You put 911 at the top where the text message goes. You put those three digits in there. It actually sends the text messages in here,” said Chris Freeman, communications director at Metcalfe-Barren County Emergency Communications Center.
Calling is still the best way to receive emergency help, according to the center, texting is just another option for those who can’t call on their phones.
“It was never meant to replace the actual voice call. It’s another level of contacting us if you can’t call,” said Freeman.
The emergency communications center decided to implement the new program following an active shooter situation that happened last year.
“The tragedy that happened in Marshall County with the school shooting there, I wanted to be able to bring this to our community to help protect our kids and to help those people who find themselves in the situation where they don’t have the ability to make a voice call,” said Freeman.
Emergency 911 text messaging will also be a way to follow up on accidental dials.
“Where we will use it the most is texting back out for 911 hang-up calls. We get a lot of calls from Apple iWatches, accidental dials from cell phones, and we spend the majority of our day tracking those down,” said Freeman.
Freeman said 911 text messaging is the future.
“A lot of other states have adopted it. It’s part of the next generation of 911,” said freeman.
A ceremony celebrating the new program was held at the emergency communications center at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. A Glasgow child was selected to make the first “official” emergency text message.
