WAYNE COUNTY, PA — There’s a new way to get emergency help in Wayne County. 

Betsy Turner, operations administrator at Wayne County 911, reported to the Wayne County Commissioners that dispatchers can now receive text messages from residents who send messages to 9-1-1.

Turner said that it’s still best to call 911 rather than text it because phone calls are more helpful for dispatchers in determining someone’s location.

“Call if you can, text if you can’t,” Turner said.

Texting 911 can be useful in instances when someone cannot verbalize their problem, or when it would be safer to remain silent, such as a home-intruder situation.

Turner said that when texting 911, residents must send the address and municipality where the emergency is taking place along with a brief description of the emergency. She also said not to use abbreviations or emojis in the text messages.

Chairman Brian Smith called this service a “huge step forward” for Wayne County. Commissioner Joe Adams commended Turner and the 911 staff, saying this “sounds simple, but it isn’t.”