Will County to soon allow 911 texting

Posted on December 23, 2014

By The Associated Press

JOLIET – An Illinois county outside Chicago says it'll soon allow residents to text 911.  

Will County officials say residents with cellphones will be able to text emergency dispatchers through the county's six dispatch centers. That's according to a story in The Southtown Star.  

Caryn DeMarco is public education coordinator for the county's emergency telephone system board. She says it's a step forward for deaf and hearing impaired people.  

An administrator for the board says the program will be phased in slowly, with a focus on hearing-impaired people, then schools and college campuses. The service will be offered to the general public after that.  

Officials say only users with a major cell phone carrier – AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile – will be able to text emergency dispatchers.  
 

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