Did you know that in the State of Arizona, you can text 911? This service became available in 2018 but there are still so many people who don’t know that this is an option.

According to the Arizona Department of Public Safety: Text-to-9-1-1 is a vital service that enables individuals to send text messages to 9-1-1 during emergencies when voice calls are not feasible. This service is particularly beneficial for those who are deaf, hard of hearing, have speech disabilities, or when making a voice call might be dangerous or impossible.

All you have to do is start a new text message, enter 911 as the receiving number, type your message and send it.

If you use this service, be patient! Texts don’t work as quickly as voice calls and they can’t track your location or accept pin drops, so it’s important that you’ll be able to provide information about your location. You also can’t send emojis or photos.

You MUST only use “plain English” and avoid using abbreviations. Text to 911 is NOT available nationwide.