Text to 911 Comes to Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington Counties

Call if you can. Text if you can't.

That's the message from the eight members of the Portland Dispatch Center Consortium, which includes Clackamas County Department of Communications (CCOM), Marion Area Multi-Agency Emergency Telecommunications Dispatch (METCOM), Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency (CRESA), Bureau of Emergency Communications (BOEC), Astoria 911, Columbia County 911, Lake Oswego Communications (LOCOM), and Washington County Consolidated Communications Agency (WCCCA).

As of Tuesday those agencies are now accepting 911 "calls" sent by text - a huge move making the service available to more people, particularly those who are hard of hearing.

It is also useful for those who are not in a position to actually call.

All you have to do is text a message to 911. The service does not accept emojis, pictures, or videos.

Emergency officials stress that you should still call if you can, but text if you can't.

Officials also say that cell phones don't automatically disclose your location so, if you use the text service, it's important to also know where you are and include that information in your texts.

It's also important that, when texting 911, only text 911. If you include 911 in a group text, it won't go through.

Officials hope to have the service available throughout the state in the next two years.