In early 2014, The Onondaga County Department of Emergency Communications became the sixth public safety answering point in New York State to deploy text-to-911service. 

Text-to-911is the ability to send a text message to reach 9-1-1 call takers from your mobile phone or device.  Text-to-911 is designed as an alternate means to contact

9-1-1 in situations where it is dangerous or impossible to place a voice call.  Text-to-911 is intended primarily for use in two emergency scenarios: for those individuals who are hearing or speech impaired and for those unable to make a voice call (e.g., a medical emergency renders an individual unable to speak, during a home invasion or abduction).  Using a phone to call 9-1-1 is the most efficient way to reach emergency help. 

How to Contact 9-1-1

• Always contact 9-1-1 by making a call if you can.  If you are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability, use a TTY or telecommunications relay service, if possible.  Texting is not always instantaneous, which is critical during a life-threatening emergency.  It will take longer to dispatch emergency services in a text-to-911situation because the time involved.  Someone must enter the text, the message must travel through wireless carrier’s network and the 9-1-1 telecommunicator must read the text and then text back.
• In the number field enter 911 and in the body of the text state the nature of the emergency and location before pressing send.  Texters must send exacting location information otherwise only very coarse location information is available to the 9-1-1 telecommunicator.  Texts sent to 9-1-1 have the same 160 character limit as other text messages.