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9-1-1: Call if you can, text if you can’t
Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers announced that as of February 14, 2022 Text-to-9-1-1 service is available in Lincoln County. T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T and Inland Cellular Wireless customers in Lincoln County can now send a text message to 9-1-1 in an emergency.
Texting to 9-1-1 is a new, important service. It is intended to benefit people who may not be able to speak due to an emergency such as a home invasion or abusive partner, as well as individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities.
“Don’t abuse 9-1-1. Calling or texting 9-1-1 is only for emergencies. Be safe, don’t text and drive,” said Sheriff Wade Magers.
A few things you should know about Text-to-9-1-1:
• When texting to 9-1-1 for an emergency, the first message should be the location of the emergency (including city) and the type of emergency help needed (police, fire or medical).
• Keep text messages brief and concise, using full words.
• Stay with your phone. Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker.
• Photos and videos cannot be sent to 9-1-1 at this time.
Remember that Text-to-9-1-1 service is not yet available statewide. If you send a text to 9-1-1 from a wireless carrier or a city/county without Text–to–9-1-1 service, you should receive a message saying that there is no Text-to-9-1-1 service available.
For more details and updates about Text-to-9-1-1, visit http://mil.wa.gov/e911.
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