Sheboygan County Activates Text To 911 Feature

Sheboygan County residents can now text to 911. The equipment was activated in the County’s Emergency Dispatch Center last week. The feature was purchased as part of an upgrade to the radio system and the combined dispatch project. Sheboygan County worked with all the major cell carriers in the area to make the feature available to their customers. This feature allows people with speech or hearing disabilities to initiate 911. In addition, it gives victims or witnesses an important option if they need to remain unnoticed for their own safety in situations such as a robbery or domestic abuse. To use this feature, the caller goes to a blank text message screen, enters 911 in the recipient or “to:” line, types a message describing the emergency and if possible, the location. An emergency dispatcher will acknowledge the 911 Text with a text message that may include questions about location and the nature of the emergency.