The Cincinnati Police Department has implemented the use of a Blackberry text messaging instrument as a means for Speech, Deaf or Hearing Impaired persons to communicate emergencies to 911. A 7290 Blackberry will be kept at Cincinnati Police Communications Section for these emergency text messages. When a citizen sends a text message to the listed number, it will be received by the same 911 operator as other 911 calls. This does NOT mean that text messages can be sent via “911” but it is a special seven-digit number specifically disseminated to the speech, deaf and hearing impaired community that has been established to contact Cincinnati Police and Fire emergency personnel by text messages. Text messages SHOULD NOT BE SENT to the 911 emergency phone number, because technology to receive such messages currently does not exist.
The new Blackberry text messaging service works as follows:
A citizen from the Speech, Deaf and Hearing Impaired community will text a message to the designated number requesting Police, Fire, or medical response.
The 911 operator will enter the information and dispatch the appropriate emergency personnel as usual.
The 911 operator will text the citizen back, requesting additional information as needed.
This is a City of Cincinnati 911 procedure. If information is obtained for an emergency outside city limits, it will be collected and forwarded to the appropriate jurisdiction.
This service is in addition to the TTY and TDD services already in place. It was designed to help with wireless communication between the Speech, Deaf and Hearing Impaired and 911.
Members of the Speech, Deaf and Hearing Impaired community, or their families may contact Ms. Melissa Shaffer, Advocate and Education Specialist of the Hearing, Speech, and Deaf Center of Greater Cincinnati. Ms. Shaffer’s contact number is (513) 221-0527 ext. 170 Monday through Friday 8:00am- 6:00pm. Ms. Shaffer may also be contacted by video phone number 513-221-3300 between the same hours.
Ms. Shaffer will act as a liaison between the Cincinnati Police Department and the Speech, Deaf and Hearing Impaired community to distribute the information to the intended users.
