Maine Residents Can Now Text 911

Residents of Maine using Verizon as their cell phone provider can now simply text 911 for emergency services.

Earlier this week, Verizon Wireless announced that it is now giving its customers the option to text 911 when making a call isn’t necessarily ideal. It’s a feature that could ultimately save the lives of those that have been rendered unable to make a phone call, says Maine Public Safety Commissioner John Morris.

Texting 911 as an alternate method of communicating with emergency personnel is likely to benefit the hearing impaired and others put in the position where making a traditional call is not optimal – during a home invasion or medical emergency where a person's speech has been incapacitated.

However, officials are quick to point out that texting 911 should only be used in situations when a phone call is not possible, as actually speaking with a 911 operator is still the best method for requesting emergency services.