Text to 9-1-1 is now available in Coconino County

FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Police Department, in conjunction with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has announce that Text to 9-1-1 is now available to the citizens and visitors within the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County. If an individual uses the Text to 9-1-1 system, the call will be routed to the dispatch center responsible for the 9-1-1 calls.

During an emergency or life-threatening situation when seconds matter, a voice call is the best and fastest way for the 9-1-1 call taker to obtain and deliver life-saving information; whereas, a text message may take longer.

TEXTING SERVICE LIMITATIONS

Response time is critical during an emergency. Text to 9-1-1 may increase the emergency response time. Additionally, texting to 911 is not a universal service. While available in Coconino County, it is not available in all areas. If you try to Text to 9-1-1 and the service is not available, you will receive a bounce back message advising you to make a voice call to 9-1-1.

Insufficient access to wireless or cellular service may cause the text message to be delayed or not received by the Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP). Text messaging apps such as WhatsApp or other social media messenger apps may not support Text to 9-1-1.

We believe the Text to 9-1-1 capability will enhance our services available to the communities we serve as we strive to exceed community expectations of our services.