Bunnell, FL - Flagler County residents will now have the option to text 911 instead of calling in an emergency.
The Flagler County Board of Commissioners and the Sheriff's Office debuted the new service on Valentine's Day.
But, while the new service is available, FCSO wants to remind residents to only text if they have problems hearing or speaking or if they believe talking might put them in danger.
“We are excited to have this new technology in Flagler County and we know that it will save lives,” said Sheriff Rick
When creating a new message, type 911 with no spaces or dashes in the "To" field. Then in the body of the message type your exact location or provide a nearby intersection or landmark.
They also want users to not use abbreviations, slang, emojis or attempt to send pictures or video through Text to 911.
They say to also be sure to include the type of emergency as Text to 911 covers police, fire and emergency medical services.
If Text to 911 is not available in your area of Flagler County, you will receive a response alerting you to call 911 instead.
“Text to 911 is a feature that is still not functional in many parts of the country,” Flagler County Innovation Technology Director and 911 Coordinator Jarrod Shupe said. “This new technology has advanced the Flagler County Emergency Communications Center’s ability to provide service to the community and to our first responders. We are pleased that we can offer better technology to serve the residents and visitors of Flagler County.”
The Volusia County Sheriff's Office rolled out a similar service in September.
