ROCKLEDGE, Fla. – Calling for help in Brevard County now also includes texting emergency responders.
Brevard County's dispatch center inside the emergency operations building on Thursday demonstrated how the public can text 911.
Brevard became the latest Central Florida county to provide text-to-911 services on Wednesday.
"When we receive a text-to-911, this box will light up," Mike Karacsony, with Brevard Fire Rescue, said while demonstrating on a computer.
"I ask, 'What is the address?' and 'What is the caller's name?' Now, I'm asking them to tell me exactly what happened," Karacsony typed in a simulated conversation.
Deborah Sands, Brevard County's 911 systems manager, texted 911 as part of the demonstration.
Sands said since Wednesday, real texts are already coming in.
"It is meant for a situation that could be dangerous if you speak," Sands said.
Calling is still the preferred method. But if people must text, it is easy to get connected.
Here's how easy: From their phone, citizens create a new text message and enter 911 for the contact. Then they briefly write a description of the emergency. Dispatchers also said people need include their location and their name.
Officials said do no use emojis, photos, videos, acronyms or group texts.
And like calls, dispatchers said texts should only be used in emergencies
The system is designed for the hearing and speech impaired.
"It should allow us to reach out to a much broader community," Sands said.
But if dispatchers need more information, they will call back.
"If we're texting them and they're not giving us good information, we will try to reach back out to them," Karacsony said.
Text to 911 is also available in Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Marion counties.