DURHAM, N.C. – After a year-long trial period to gauge the effectiveness of the new “text-to-911” technology, the Durham Emergency Communications Center and Verizon Wireless will continue to offer this technology for emergency help to Verizon Wireless customers.

Since August 2011, Durham residents and visitors who are also Verizon Wireless customers have been able to send a text message to 911 as part of a trial to test the potential of this new technology. After reviewing the trial data, the Center and Verizon will continue to accept emergency text messages.

According to James Soukup, director of the Durham Emergency Communications Center, this texting technology is still specifically designed for two types of emergency scenarios – to help potential victims who don’t want to be heard making a 911 voice call as well as for deaf or hard-of-hearing residents who may be unable to speak to a telecommunicator.

Soukup said that since the “text-to-911” technology will continue, there are several parameters that users should remain aware of before sending an emergency text message to 911. “There can be limitations to sending a text message and we want Verizon Wireless customers to keep these in mind if they send a text message for emergency help,” Soukup said.

• Customers should use the texting option only when calling 911 is not an option. It can take longer to receive a text message because someone must enter the text, the message then goes through the system, and the 911 telecommunicator must read the text and then text back. Picking up the phone and calling 911 is still the most efficient way to reach emergency help. Texting is not always instantaneous, which is critical during a life-threatening emergency.
• Providing location information and nature of the emergency in the first text message is imperative since the Durham Emergency Communications Center will not be able to access the cell phone location or speak with the person who is 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 Durham County, N.C. area. If customers are outside or near the edge of the county, the message may not reach the Durham Emergency Communications Center.
• Texts sent to 911 have the same 160 character limit as other text messages.
• Verizon Wireless customers must have mobile phones that are capable of sending text messages. Any text message to 911 will count either against their messaging plan or be charged at 20 cents each.
• Messaging software pre-loaded onto the Droid from Motorola (original version) does not format text messages correctly when the digits 911 are entered as the “To” address. Installing the free “Verizon Messages” application for Droids (version 1.3.24a) from Google Play fixes this issue.
• 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 Durham Emergency Communication Center by calling its non-emergency line at (919) 560-4600.

The “text-to-911” technology is part of a collaboration between the City of Durham, Verizon Wireless, and Intrado. Intrado, which is an emergency communications technology provider, installed next-generation 911 software at the Durham Emergency Communications Center in 2011, which enables text messaging between the Center and Verizon Wireless customers.

The Durham Emergency Communication Center remains the first 911 center in North Carolina, as well as the one of the first 911 centers in the United States, to enable “text-to-911” technology using 911 digits and live-call takers.

To learn more about the Durham Emergency Communications Center, contact Soukup at (919) 560-4191, by email at [email protected], or “like” at http://www.Facebook.com/Durham911.

About the Durham Emergency Communications Center

The Durham Emergency Communications Center is the primary public safety answering point for the City and County of Durham. Guided by the City’s Strategic Plan, the Center helps to ensure that Durham is a safe and secure community by providing around-the-clock 911 access and services to the residents and user agencies in and around Durham County. Services include, but are not limited to, emergency and non-emergency requests for assistance; dispatch of police, fire, and emergency medical services; other city/county support agencies; and other duties as required. The geographic service area encompasses 296 square miles with approximately 250,000 residents. The Center has earned the internationally recognized APCO Project 33 Certification from the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, Inc.; Emergency Medical Dispatch Accreditation by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch; and accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. The Center was the first, and currently, one of only two centers in the world to hold these three accreditations simultaneously.