911 services have changed to make use of increasingly sophisticated smart phones, which allows first responders to have access to the most up to date information possible when dealing with incidents. Recently, Google added an option on its proprietary phones, as well as some Android phones, to send a message with the relevant information to emergency responders with one tap without speaking.
“Tapping on the “Medical,” “Fire” or “Police” buttons during an emergency call will convey the type of emergency to the operator through an automated voice service,” according to the Google blog. The feature allows for people unable to speak due to disability-related or situational events to communicate easily with an emergency call operator.
Those people who cannot communicate verbally during emergency situations also have another option: Text-to-911. The program, which first began in 2014, allows people to reach emergency services by sending a written text explaining the emergency (useful in cases where silence is critical, such as an active shooter situation). An article in CNET gives tips on how to send effective emergency texts to streamline communications and get help faster, such as indicating you cannot follow up with a call, and not using pictures or emojis. A regularly updated list on the FCC website shows which areas have this capability (the July 2019 list shows more than 2,000 entries across the country).
https://www.cnet.com/how-to/turns-out-theres-a-right-way-to-text-911-for-emergency-help/
