So far, text-to-911 messages not as cryptic as feared, panelists say

Steuben County, which receives about 7,000 calls every month and more than 9,000 calls during the summer months, started offering the service last spring, and—so far—the use has been minimal, Hopkins said. The texts that have been received have not presented a language challenge, he added.

“Other than the agencies using it right now, we don’t have a lot of people using it,” Hopkins said during the panel discussion. “It’s one of those things where you’re grateful that it’s there. If somebody wants to use it, they can.

“I’ll be really excited when we can do the campaign that says all of the carriers are on board.”

Hopkins said they encourage dispatchers to push texting to a voice conversation, if possible.

“We always encourage, if possible, to get a voice communication going,” he said. “I say that, because—as everyone who has sat in a console position will attest to—sometimes it’s not what’s said to you. It’s what you pick up.”

Gojanovich said it’s been the same with the almost 100 PSAPs he has worked with to provide the service, even after announcements were made that additional carriers were supporting the service.

“One of the things that everybody has been afraid of is a flood of (texts),” Gojanovich said. “For the longest time, there was this almost irrational fear that we’re going to be overwhelmed with (texts) from teenagers, and I can tell you, most assuredly … that ain’t happening.

“Teenagers, when they’re having an emergency, they want to hear your voice on the other end of the line to reassure them, just like the rest of us.”