If you are involved in a personal injury accident or in any sort of danger, and you can’t call 911, you can now text 911 for help in Macomb or Oakland County. According to the Detroit Free Press, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office recently started accepting text messages for all jurisdictions in the county. Oakland county has been utilizing 911 texting service since January. Authorities say that 911 texting can be extremely beneficial. If you are involved in a break-in or domestic situation, where there is a risk of talking loud, texting is a great option.
This service was only just recently put into effect, and several Oakland and Macomb County residents have already used it during emergencies. According to the Detroit Free Press, one of the first 911 text messages they received involved a woman hiding in a closet, afraid of her husband. Soon after the text was sent, Southfield Police were dispatched and an arrest was made. Another case involved a 16-year-old girl in South Dakota that somehow got routed to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office. She thought someone had broken into her house, so she hid in a closet. The Oakland County Sherriff’s Department was able to contact authorities in that state to resolve the issue. No one ended breaking in.
Authorities have also reported that of the emergency text messages they’ve received so far, two of them were from deaf residents who can’t speak on the phone. This texting service can potentially be used to save lives and help those in danger. There is no cost for people to send 911 text messages, nor is there a cost for authorities to receive them. Dispatchers can receive texts from anyone in the county using either Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, or Sprint.
Although cell phones can be extremely useful in situations like these, it is important to remember to avoid texting while driving in general. Texting while driving causes thousands of motor vehicles accidents per year. If you have been injured in a car accident, contact a lawyer at The Michigan Law Firm, PLLC. Our accident attorneys are experienced in handling all types of auto accident cases. Call 844.4MI.FIRM for a free consultation today.