User guide

27
Texting During an Emergency
Most mobile phones can send text messages, but remember that you cannot
send text messages to 9-1-1.
During a large-scale emergency, such as a natural disaster, voice networks
can become congested or overloaded with an influx of mobile phone voice
calls. This can result in people not being able to speak with those they want
to contact, such as friends or loved ones. In some rare instances, congestion
on the voice network can also hinder communications among emergency
service personnel.
Text messages, however, use less network capacity than normal mobile
phone voice calls and may be more reliable for brief communication with
friends or loved ones during emergencies. So, even if a network is congested
with voice calls, a text message to a friend or loved one may have a higher
likelihood of getting through sooner than a voice call. And equally as
important, by texting during an emergency, you are freeing up the voice
lines for emergency officials to use.