Iowa 911 call center now accepting texts; Twitter and Facebook status updates can't be far behind
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted August 6th 2009 7:07PM
posted August 6th 2009 7:07PM
As of this week, callers can now text their requests for fire, police, or ambulance, to the emergency call center in Black Hawk County, Iowa -- both a nationwide first and a definite improvement for deaf and hard-of-hearing residents who have thus far had to rely on TDD devices. Unlike voice calls, however, the 911 operator can't get your location from a text message, meaning that the caller must first respond to a request for their city or zip code before the call gets routed. Currently, only i wireless subscribers (a local carrier affiliated with T-Mobile) can use the service, but plans are afoot to bring other carriers on board as well. Other future upgrades include the ability to accept video and picture messages. All the operators ask is that you refrain from sending them those silly chain text messages -- that sort of thing can be really distracting when you're busy saving lives.
I used to live in Black Hawk County! Go Panthers!
It's about freakin time. When I traveled to NZ last winter I found that service had been in place for a while... and in Europe... and some places in Asia.
God bless those Europeans, so far ahead of us with all those hairy women and smelly cheeses.
For the folks that criticizes the technology, just wait until you're 80 and you lose your hearing, you'll be grateful by then when this technology becomes available. I'm deaf and it would be hella lot better for me to get in touch with 911 through text instead of shouting "WHAT?! WHAT?! THERE IS A GUY BREAKING INTO MY CAR!! WHAT?! WHAT?! HE'S WALKING TOWARD ME WITH A GUN IN HIS HANDS!!! WHAT?! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"
Holy Crap i think its the iPhone Nano!
Twitter is like a breath of fresh air on the Social Media scene. I have been on it for just a few weeks now and I have met several interesting people. It is a platform to network with people you would like to meet in real life.
Jon
http://EmailCharger.com
one or two things would make this perfect. 1: whatever needs to be done to ensure the text is received immediately and 2: the automatic sending of sender's location. also pre-written texts would help. they wouldnt have to be too specific, just enough to give an idea that help is needed
either way its a great idea because it gives people one more option that could potentially save their life
Think about the texts that they would receive:
"yo 911 just got shot hurtz bad LOL can u help?"
We had it in the UK, it got canned. In the heat of the moment you are not going to sit there texting.
Actually, Verizon did one of the first EVDO rollouts in the nation here in Blackhawk a few years back so we must be doing something right. Just be thankful we get to be the beta testing guinea pigs instead of you! Think of all the new texting language that'll come out of this :)
too bad iWireless is CRAP
i live in black hawk. we're in the middle of a crazy crime wave. 11 shootings in like 2 months. and alot of people use i wireless. it couldn't hurt i suppose. but it just seems kinda....stupid.