Armstrong County residents now have the option of sending a text message to report an emergency to 911, public safety officials announced Tuesday.

While the ability to text could be valuable in a scenario when speaking to a dispatcher might escalate a situation, calling should be the first line of communication when seeking help, said Chad Gradwell, the county’s 911 coordinator.

“It’s rare, but there are instances such as burglaries with people in the home who can’t physically talk on the phone where this would be useful,” he said.

Gradwell said data collected by 911 centers in the U.S. that have added the text messaging service indicates that fewer than 4% of the requests for help are received by text.

The Federal Communications Commission requires all wireless carriers and other providers of text messaging applications in the nation to deliver emergency texts to call centers that request them.

Gradwell said the downside to sending a text message to 911 is that unlike a cellphone call, it does not automatically provide 911 dispatchers with the coordinates for where it is located.

The location information associated with a cellphone can be used to identify where it within 60-90 feet, he said.

Texts sent to 911 receive an automated response asking for the address or location of the texter, he said.

“Once we get a text, the person will receive an automated response asking for their address or location,” Gradwell said. “After that, it’s just like phone-to-phone communication with the dispatcher being able to text back and forth with the person on the other end.”

If a person doesn’t know where they are, dispatchers can still send help “but it will take a little more work.”

Gradwell said the addition of texting to the 911 system required installation of new software and was coordinated with surrounding counties.

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