Have an emergency but can’t call 911? Send a text

The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dispatch Center is now capable of receiving text messages to 911.

“Although calling 911 is always preferable to texting during an emergency, those who are hearing or speech impaired now have the option of sending a message directly to our dispatch staff to request help instead of relying on a third party to interpret and transmit the message,” Sheriff Phil Plummer stated in a release.

Also, domestic violence victims or those with a crime in progress may find it safer to send a text message than to call for help, the sheriff said.

The text to 911 service is only available from the nation’s four largest mobile phone carriers for the residents living in the 16 jurisdictions served by the regional dispatch center, the sheriff’s office said.