Beginning today, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office Communication Center has implemented Text To 9-1-1.
Citizens are encouraged to use this system if one of the following applies:
• It is unsafe to call (in events such as a Home Invasion, Domestic Violence or an Abduction),
• A medical condition or injury prevents you from being able to speak,
• Calling 9-1-1 is not possible, due to a caller being deaf, hearing- or speech-impaired, or
• You have poor or limited call coverage.
Using a phone to place a voice call is still the most efficient way to request help.
Texting is not always instantaneous, which may be critical in a life-threatening emergency.
It may take longer to dispatch emergency services in Text to 9-1-1 situations because of the time involved: someone must enter the text, the message must go over the network, and the 9-1-1 personnel must read the text before texting back.
The texting function should only be used for emergency situations that require an immediate response from law enforcement, fire or EMS.
Non-emergency issues should still be communicated to our local communications center through our non-emergency phone number 850-584-2429.
