For the first time, Minnesotans can send a text message to 911 during an emergency when calling for help is not an option, state authorities announced Tuesday.
The statewide service, known as “Text-to-911,” went live Tuesday morning and will provide a connection to emergency services for people who are deaf or unable to speak. It could also help crime victims caught in dangerous situations — such as home invasions, domestic assaults or active shooter incidents — in which speaking on the telephone could put them in greater danger. State officials said the service will have a particular benefit for the estimated 1 million Minnesotans who are deaf, deaf-blind, or hard of hearing, and have long sought an alternative to calling 911.