NEW YORK (PIX11) -- What do you do if there is an emergency but you can't talk to give 911 a call? New Yorkers can use Text-to-911 to contact 911 in situations where talking may not be possible.
The feature is available in all five boroughs in English and Spanish, according to the city's website. To use the feature, you need to do the following steps:
- Enter 911 without spaces or hyphens
- Let the operator know if you are deaf
- Text the reason for your emergency
- Text your full address and cross streets, if available, and borough
- Use complete words and sentences, not abbreviations
- Don’t text 911 in a group chat or send photos, videos, GIFs, or emojis
- Answer all of the operator’s questions. The operator will end the chat
- Don’t text and drive
The feature is also available on Long Island. In November, the Nassau County Police Department unveiled its Text-to-911 program. Suffolk County has had a form of the feature since 2018.
Jonathan Rizk is a digital journalist who has covered local news in New York City and Washington, D.C. He has been with PIX11 since August 2022. See more of his work here, and follow him on X and Facebook @OfficialRizk. Get in touch at [email protected].
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