Text 911 Or Call For Emergency Response In Laguna Beach

LAGUNA BEACH, CA - A new system allows for text messages to reach 911 operators, it was reported on Wednesday. In Orange County, first responders from rolled out the new system. Already, by early afternoon, a handful of emergency text messages had flowed in to Orange County Fire Authority.

OCFA Chief Brian Fennessy told reporters that the first one was a medical aid call that was handled successfully.

The new service, which took about a year to implement, will help deaf and hearing-impaired residents or others "in situations where they can't call voice 911," Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said.

The sheriff noted that about 80 percent of calls to 911 come from mobile phones, so adding a text service is in keeping with trends of usage.

In Laguna Beach, Chief of Police Laura Farinella advised residents that to use the service, individuals should enter “911” in the destination field of their mobile device, followed by their location and brief description of their emergency.

It is important to note that while dispatchers will receive a geolocation from the caller’s cell phone in longitude and latitude, they will not have an exact address.

“The exact location is crucial to getting help to you, the GPS location accuracy varies by carrier
and should not be relied upon,” Police Chief Laura Farinella said “Also, messages should be sent
in plain language, please do not use acronyms, short code messages, or emojis.”

You cannot include videos or photos in your 911 text, and you cannot include 911 in a group text.
The service is only available in English at this time.

Calling 911 is always best as the interaction between the caller and a trained dispatcher is more
easily coordinated through voice dialogue.

“Remember, call 911 if you can, text 911 if you can’t.” Farinella said.

For further information, please contact Support Services Supervisor Kristen Berry at (949) 497-
0399 or kberry@lagunabeachcity.net.

Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel noted that the first 911 call was in 1968, and that the texting service will have a "profound impact" on how first responders respond to emergencies.

"A call to 911 is always preferred, but we recognize that's not always possible," Hamel said. "Call 911 if you can, but text 911 if you can't."

Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano also said calling 911 is still the best way to contact first-responders.

"There's nothing that will replace that voice-to-voice contact" because the interaction between a trained dispatcher and caller is more easily coordinated through vocal dialogue, Stefano said.
Residents using the text service are encouraged to provide an address because zeroing in on the location through GPS technology isn't exact, with some carriers more accurate than others.
Renee Thomas, regional director of the Orange County Deaf Equal Access Foundation, said the service will be especially helpful to the hearing impaired because they can use it without help from someone else.

Barnes warned that bogus text messages to 911 will be treated just the same as calls to the emergency service, which are prosecuted as misdemeanors with jail time possible. A phony text can divert as much attention and time away from a real emergency as a phone call.

The service only accepts text messages, and if a photo or video is attached, it won't go through.

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