For people who find themselves needing help but unable to call 9-1-1, Clay County now allows text messages to emergency personnel.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office launched the service Thursday.
CCSO Col. Craig Aldrich says talking on the phone may not be an option during some emergencies.
“You know if, god forbid, you were in a bank that was being robbed at the time, you could text that information. Or if you were in a restaurant that was being robbed at the time,” Aldrich said. “There’s just a myriad of opportunities to where you may not be able to get to that phone and verbally communicate what’s occurring but you could, in fact, send a text.”
Unfortunately, Aldrich says, there can be a delay of a minute or more between when a text is sent and when it’s received in the call-center, so it’s always best to call whenever possible.
Clay County is one of only a handful of areas in the state equipped to receive emergency 9-1-1 texts.
