North Shore Residents Can Now Text 911 In Emergencies

BAYSIDE, WI — Residents of the North Shore will now be able to text 911 in emergencies if a call is impossible.

People who are deaf or hard of hearing, those who are unable to speak due to a medical emergency, or people who are in a situation where it would be unsafe to make a call can all now use texting to get in touch with North Shore emergency dispatchers, according to a news release from the Bayside Communications Center last week.

Dispatchers stress that phone calls are still the preferred method of getting in touch with emergency services, but some situations may make texting a worthy alternative, the news release said.

The communities that can now use the service include Bayside, Brown Deer, Fox Point, Glendale, River Hills, Shorewood and Whitefish Bay. All of these communities will have access to the service. Cell coverage outside of the north shore will determine availability, the news release said.

The service has been expanding across the country for some time now, but outdated technology and limited funds have slowed the adoption, AP reported in 2018.

Texting 911 is limited to an extent. Photos can not be sent over the platform and communications over text with dispatchers cannot be expanded to group chats. When using the text service, a person's exact location must be shared through the text.

A text to 911 in the area will be routed to the Bayside Communications Center in Bayside. If people are able to make a call instead of text, they should call. For now, English is the only language people can text 911 with in the area.

Learn more about what can, and cannot be done with the service here.