Text to 911 Now Available in Southampton County

For Verizon customers in Southampton County, Virginia the option to text 911 in an emergency is now an available option if you are in close range of the Southampton County cell phone tower. Text to 911 is becoming a popular feature for those residents who are hearing or speech impaired or anyone who finds themselves in a situation where it is too dangerous to speak to the 911 operator.

“The safety of residents and visitors in Southampton County is our number-one concern,” said Southampton County Sheriff Jack Stutts said in a release. “Text to 911 could be a life-saver, especially for people who might otherwise not be able to make a voice call. I congratulate my staff members for their work in establishing this service and for setting an example for other public safety professionals.” (Source: Tide Water News)

Southampton County is the second public safety answering point in Virginia to accept Text-to-911. “Public safety is a top priority. We assist public safety organizations in their efforts to get residents the help they need in emergencies.  We do this by providing enhanced location information to emergency call takers so they can more effectively route calls for emergency assistance,” Verizon explains.

Text to 911 is not available everywhere, but the major wireless carriers are hoping to expand this program in order to assist as many people as possible and increase public safety.