Richmond Becomes First Northern Californian Jurisdiction to Add 911 Texting

If you have an emergency in Richmond area of Northern California, you now have another way to reach 911 dispatch services. The city is the first in Northern California to offer the ability to reach its emergency dispatchers via text message, which means it can now provide help to more people in need.

While texting 911 can be useful in a variety of situations, such as in a domestic violence dispute or an emergency in which an individual is hearing impaired, dispatchers warn that the public should not rely on texting as a first means of communicating with 911. 

When Is Texting 911 a Good Idea?

In the past, a victim of an emergency might not have been able to make a phone call to 911 for fear of an attack. Or, a person who couldn’t hear might have had to take the time to call a third-party service just to get assistance reaching 911. In emergencies, time is crucial and being able to easily reach 911 can make the difference in saving a life. Dispatchers caution that the best way to reach help fast, in most cases, is to call. 

Sometimes, 911 dispatchers receive phone calls from people who say something to the effect of, “Not right now, Aunt Betty, I can’t speak,” says Richmond Police Department dispatcher Michael Lusk. From that type of message, dispatchers are often able to infer that something is not right and send emergency personnel. This is not as easy to do with a text. 

However, texting messages to 911 can be effective in cases where an individual must remain silent in order to dial for help, such as a kidnapping situation. If a person cannot describe aloud what’s happening, a text message can be the ideal solution to requesting aid. Lusk states that he has received six 911 text messages since the program went live at the end of January. 

The Benefit of Voice Calls to 911

The benefits of voice calls to 911 services include the speed with which dispatchers can give answers, and assistance, to those in need. In addition, when an individual calls 911 from a landline phone, their location is automatically sent to dispatchers so that emergency services can be sent out.

Sometimes, dispatchers rely on background noise on a 911 phone call to better determine what’s going on during an emergency, and to turn in as evidence should a court case be held later.

Call 911 If You Can, But Text If You Can’t Call

Communications shift supervisor for the Richmond Police Department, Deana Norton, says, “If placing a voice call is going to endanger yourself or others, please text us.” She adds that you should always text your location along with your message. This part of your text is crucial, because it will help get emergency services out to you immediately.

To text your emergency to Richmond 911 emergency services, all you need to do is type 9-1-1 into the space where you would normally type a phone number. Emergency dispatchers are logged into a website where they can view text messages that come in to 911. Their screens look like a chat platform, and have drop-down messages from which they can choose to send appropriate responses, such as, “Do not move the patient unless it’s necessary.”

Texts Are a Last Resort for Help

While the ability to text message Richmond 911 emergency services will likely prove useful in some instances, it has not been heavily relied upon yet, and it shouldn’t be. According to Michael Lambton, a communications shift supervisor, the Richmond Police Department’s 911 dispatch center takes in about 20,000 calls every month throughout Richmond, San Pablo, Kensington, El Cerrito, and Contra Costa College. Since January, dispatchers have received fewer than a dozen 911 texts, and most of them weren’t even emergency texts. 

Having the 911 text emergency system will surely provide Richmond residents with additional help, but the program should be treated as supplemental and not a primary means of assistance.