You can now text 911 in Broward County in an emergency.
Broward leaders announced on Tuesday that anyone who can’t call in an emergency can now send a message to request police, fire or medical assistance.
But county officials, including Broward Mayor Mark Bogen, Commissioner Michael Udine and Broward sheriff’s Col. Sean Zukowsky, stressed that texting should be a second option.
“The preference is to call 911 and speak to an operator,” Bogen said at a media conference Tuesday morning streamed live to its Facebook page. “We cannot find you by your cell signal. Text messages may take longer than calling 911 or may not be received at all. How many of us remember sending a text that didn’t go through?”
There are other drawbacks to texting rather than calling and speaking directly with a dispatcher.
People aren’t always clear when they type. And a stressful situation in a 911 call can make it even worse.