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Hello! are you deaf
or hard-of-hearing like me? Did you know that now
in the state of Vermont you can call for help using text to 911?
You can request services to report a fire.
You can request an ambulance, or you can call the police.
Vermont was the first state in the nation to have statewide text to 911,
and now more than ninety percent
of the people in Vermont have access with their cellphones
or other mobile devices to send a text to 911
if they need help. If you are a customer of
Verizon Wireless or AT&T and you are located within Vermont,
you can send a text to 911. It's important to remember
if you have access to a video phone that's the best way to get ahold of 911,
but if you are in a situation where you don't have a video phone
then you can use text to 911. Text to 911 is new,
so we will take some time now
to explain how to call for help.
You can find the text messaging icon on your phone.
In the "Send-to" field,
you would type 911. You don't have to have any dashes
like nine dash one dash one
just a full number, 911.
In the message
field, this where you would include your location.
It's important
that you include the street address, the town or village name,
and it's important that if you don't know where you are
include description of the area. Landmarks that you might see
or if there is a road name nearby that you remember.
This information will help the fire department
the police or the ambulance providers be able to find you.
Also remember when you explain the reason why you need help.
It's important that you use full sentences and to avoid abbreviations
or slang. We don't want to confuse the responders.
When you send a text to 911
this only works in the Vermont coverage area.
If you send a text to 911
and you get a bounce-back message, this means you are not
in the Vermont coverage area. If that happens
and you get that bounce-back message then you would use a regular phone to
dial 911,
or you can find someone to assist you to make a voice call.
When you send a text to 911,
the operator will respond quickly and ask you a few followup questions related
to that situation.
It's important that you respond to those questions quickly
and respond clearly. You might also want to inform the operator that you are deaf
or hard-of-hearing. This way the operator can inform the emergency personnel
that an interpreter needs to be present. And that's all there is to it.
If you have one of these mobile phone carriers
then you can text to 911 quick and easily.
In Vermont,
it has proven to be an effective option for getting emergency assistance.
The next time you see an emergency situation,
remember...Call if you can,
text if you can't.