PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

8/24/2016

CONTACT: Barbara Neal, Executive Director
                 Phone:  802-828-4911

Text to 9-1-1 Service Restored in Vermont

Text to 9-1-1 service has been restored in Vermont.   The service had been intentionally disabled on
8/1/2016 due to a coding issue in the 9-1-1 call handling software.  A software fix to resolve the coding issue has been successfully implemented.  Testing confirms that text messages to 9-1-1 are again being delivered to Vermont 9-1-1 call-takers as expected.

The Enhanced 9-1-1 Board offers these general reminders about text to 9-1-1 service:

• As with any communication to 9-1-1, the texting function should only be used for emergency situations.
• It is very important to provide the location of the event and the nature of the emergency in the first message.
• Customers should use the texting option only when a voice call to 9-1-1 is not an option.  Making a voice call is still the most efficient way to get access   to emergency services.

More information about text to 9-1-1 service is available on our website at http://e911.vermont.gov/text_to_911