Using Text-to-911

The Sumter County Board of County Commissioners would like to remind residents and visitors that Text-to-911 is available throughout Sumter County during an emergency if making a voice call to 911 is not possible or could place someone in danger.

The Sumter County Board of County Commissioners would like to remind residents and visitors that Text-to-911 is available throughout Sumter County during an emergency if making a voice call to 911 is not possible or could place someone in danger. Text-to-911 can be especially helpful for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with speech disabilities, or anyone whose safety may be at risk by making a voice call. Calling 911 remains the fastest and preferred way to request emergency assistance. However, when a voice call is not possible or safe, Text-to-911 provides an alternative way to communicate with emergency dispatchers. Using Text-to-911 is similar to sending a regular text message. Here’s how it works: Open your phone’s text messaging application. Enter 911 as the recipient. In your first message, provide the exact location of the emergency, including the address, city, and any other helpful location information. If an address is unavailable, provide the nearest intersection, landmark, mile marker, or another clear description of your location. Briefly explain what is happening and whether you need police, fire, or medical assistance. Send the message. Answer the 911 telecommunicator’s questions and follow their instructions. Remain available by text until the telecommunicator tells you the conversation is complete. Residents should call 911 whenever possible. A voice call allows public safety telecommunicators to gather information more quickly and efficiently. Additionally, they may provide important details about the emergency that can be difficult to communicate through a text message. Location information may be available through the caller’s wireless carrier and the County’s emergency communications technology, but its accuracy can vary. The 911 telecommunicator will ask the caller to confirm the location where assistance is needed. Providing and verifying the location helps ensure that emergency responders are sent to the correct place. Text-to-911 should only be used for actual emergencies. Do not send test messages, photos, videos, emojis, or group texts. Use clear, plain language and avoid abbreviations or slang. Keep in mind that text messages may be delayed, received out of order, or fail to transmit. An active text messaging or data plan is required to use Text-to-911. Text-to-911 is available throughout Sumter County. Availability may vary in other communities, so people traveling outside Sumter County should not assume the service is available everywhere. If a text to 911 cannot be delivered, the sender should receive an automatic response and should call 911 if it is safe to do so. Sumter County’s recent migration to Motorola Solutions’ Next Generation Core Services platform strengthened the County’s emergency communications. The migration provides greater reliability, redundancy, and backup connectivity while supporting existing services such as Text-to-911 and future Next Generation 911 capabilities. For more information about emergency preparedness and services in Sumter County, visit SumterCountyFL.Gov.