METAIRIE, La. -- Jefferson Parish residents are now able to text 911 when they have an emergency, the sheriff's office announced Wednesday.
The service is available to Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile callers who are within range of a cell tower in the parish's 911 communication district.
The sheriff's office says customers should only use the texting option when calling 911 isn't an option. It should only be used in three instances: when the caller is hearing or voice impaired, when a medical emergency renders the person incapable of speech or when speaking out loud would cause danger.
"The safety of residents and visitors in Jefferson Parish is our number-one concern," said Major Ronald D. Hoefeld, Jr., the 911 director. "Text-to-911 could be a lifesaver, especially for people who might otherwise not be able to make a voice call. However, when in an emergency situation, all wireless callers should remember to 'call if you can; text if you can't.'"
The sheriff's office asks texters to put location information and the nature of the emergency in the original text. No pictures or other attachments should be sent.
