Have a 911 Emergency? Now You Can Text For Help.

Residents and visitors who can’t place a call to 911 in an emergency can now text 911 to request police, fire, or medical assistance in Pompano Beach and throughout Broward County. Text-to-911 allows you to send text messages to local 911 dispatch centers during an emergencywhen calling is not an option. It is especially useful for people who may be deaf, hard-of-hearing or speech impaired or if speaking out loud puts you in danger.

The phone carriers send your text message to the text control centers which then forward the message to the appropriate 911 Public Safety Answering Point in Broward County. It is important to know your location, address and type of emergency, so the call taker will be able to send help quickly.

Text to 911 is only for emergency situations if you are unable to speak or hear due to disability or when a voice call to 911 puts you in a dangerous situation such as domestic violence situations, home invasions, active shooter incidents or abductions.

Remember these important tips before sending a 911 text message:

• Call if you can, text only if you can’t

• Know your exact location

• Cell phone providers only offer text messaging as a “best efforts service;” delivery of text messages are not guaranteed, can be delayed by your carrier and may not be received in a timely manner

• DO NOT send photos, videos or emoji’s

• Keep text messages plain and easy to understand, no slang or abbreviations

• Texts to 911 have a 160 character limit for a single text

• The Text-to-911 system currently processes texts in English. Language translation is not available at this time

• You must have text messaging included on your wireless phone plan

• Text-to-911 is not a social media app. It is to be used for emergencies only

• Misuse of 911 can result in criminal charges, fines and jail time