Texting 911 is one step closer to reality with Friday’s announcement that Canada’s wireless carriers have upgraded their networks, making it possible to implement a text with 911 service for people who are deaf or speech impaired.
According to E-Comm, the regional emergency communications centre for southwest British Columbia, people who are part of the deaf, deafened, hard of hearing or speech impaired (DHHSI) community, could have access to the service within the next three months.
The new service will still require callers to initiate a voice call, dialing 911 from their cellphones, but if they have registered their phones for the service through their wireless carrier, the emergency operator will be able to respond via text. The call would then be carried out through an exchange of texts instead of voice.
