QuadCom to add 911 texting feature

Residents or visitors in the QuadCom service area will be able to use their cellphones to text the dispatch center in an emergency.

Starting Tuesday, the regional dispatch center covering Carpentersville, East and West Dundee, Sleepy Hollow, Barrington Hills and South Barrington will offer a new Text-to-911 service for AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon customers.

The service gives residents a way to contact first responders when making a call isn't possible, QuadCom Director Elizabeth Heitkamp said in a news release. It could be especially beneficial for people with speech or hearing impairments, she said.

"If someone can't talk, this could save a life by having this added feature," West Dundee Fire Chief Randy Freise said.

Carpentersville Police Chief Michael Kilbourne said the feature could be a safer way to contact emergency personnel in certain situations, such as a domestic violence incident, where a victim could text 911 without alerting an offender.

However, he said, the texting feature is not intended to become the primary method of contacting the dispatch center, which is located in Carpentersville.

Making a phone call is the best way for emergency personnel to understand the nature of the emergency, the location and the type of help needed, Freise said. It also allows the dispatcher to ask the caller questions.

"It's another tool in the toolbox to report an emergency but not intended to be the primary avenue," Kilbourne said. "As technology moves forward, it's good to see that the first responder community is keeping up with what's available."

Heitkamp said texts to 911 should always include an exact location of the emergency. Unlike a phone call, she said, dispatchers can't determine a person's location from a text message.

Detailing the nature of the emergency is also important, Freise said.

"QuadCom dispatchers will send specific equipment based on the information given and whether it is a fire, medical or police emergency," he said.