Friday Tip: Texting 911 in San Mateo County.

Another Option to Report an Emergency.

What happens if you're in an emergency and you can't call 911? Sounds strange, but there are probably instances that you can imagine where talking on your phone is simply not an option, but maybe texting is a possibility — think of a residential burglary or a domestic violence situation where just talking can get you into a heap of trouble. There's a solution, and it's simply texting 911 on your phone.

I certainly wasn't aware of this, but San Mateo County rolled out this capability nearly 2.5 years ago, and it's a brilliant idea. Obviously, calling 911 is the preferred method for reporting an emergency because your dialog with the dispatcher happens more in real time. But as I mentioned above, there will be times where that luxury isn't available, so the County rolled out this plan.

There are tips that the authorities recommend that will help expedite the routing of emergency personnel to you, such as being very specific about your location and the nature of the emergency. The infogram below outlines those tips and recommendations (even though the tips are provided by the San Mateo PD, they apply county-wide).

Hopefully you'll never have to use this service. But if you do, you now have another option to get help. Be safe, and have a great weekend!