| The Lee Board of County Commissioners and Lee County Sheriff’s Office have announced that county residents and visitors now can send a text to 911 in an emergency. Placing a voice call to 911 remains the most effective method for requesting emergency assistance. Text to 911 Only When the Caller is: – deaf or hard of hearing – experiencing a medical event that makes clear speech difficult – in a dangerous situation where unsafe to make a voice call, such as an active shooter, domestic violence incident or home invasion DO NOT: – use slang, abbreviations, GIFs, or emojis – send to more than one person – group texts are not received – text and drive – send photos and videos Text to 911 is only for emergencies. It is a crime to text or call 911 as a “test” or with a false report. When texting to 911 in an emergency: Enter 911 in the “To” field (do not use dashes between numbers) Give your exact location and type of emergency. Keep it brief. Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 911 call taker. A text or data plan is required to text to 911 and regular rates apply. Mobile carriers handle texts to 911 like any other message. You can experience the same service speeds or delays, depending on network strength in your area. For more information about texting 911 visit: leegov.com/911 |
