(KLZA)-- The Southeast Region 911 Committee has announced that Text – to – 911 service is now available to 16 member counties in Southeast Nebraska. 

Text-to-911 service is available to the public, through most wireless carriers in the Southeast Region. 

This is the next step in accessing emergency services as technology advances.  

This is not meant to take the place of calling 911 using standard voice calls. The motto is “Call if you can, Text if you can't.”

Location acquisition is much more limited and often not available, where voice 911 will typically provide very good location information as to a caller's whereabouts.  In addition, there is no guarantee your Text-to-911 text has made it to an emergency dispatch center until you receive a reply from the emergency operator.  Information is also obtained more quickly with a voice conversation than via text.  

In addition, a person cannot text to 911 without a service contract that includes texting.

To make the “Text-to-911” work, enter the number 911 to the field.  The first text should be brief and contain the location of the emergency and type of help needed.

The service is not available for Richardson, Nemaha, Johnson and Pawnee counties in addition to Cass, Clay, Fillmore, Gage, Jefferson, Lancaster, Nuckolls, Otoe, Saline, Seward, Thayer and York counties.