Text-to-911 comes to Pinal County

As of today, text-to-9-1-1 is available to all residents of Pinal County.

This allows people in need of emergency services to reach first responders via text when voice calling is not an option, according to the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office.

The primary use of Text-to-9-1-1 includes:

• When an individual is deaf, hard-of-hearing or has a speech disability
• In situations where it is not safe to place a voice call to 9-1-1
• During a medical emergency that renders the person incapable of speaking

How to text 9-1-1 in an emergency:

• Enter the numbers 911 in the “To” field
• Always provide your exact location and the nature of your emergency
• Push the “send” button
• Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions
• Avoid text abbreviations or slang
• Photos and videos cannot be sent to 9-1-1.
• Do not text and drive!

“Having the option to text our 911 operators will help us ensure all residents have access to emergency services, no matter what the situation” Sheriff Mark Lamb said in a news release. “Call if you can, text if you can’t.”