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Miami-Dade, FL - Miami-Dade County has introduced a new emergency communication method, enabling residents to send text messages to 911 during critical situations.
Starting June 1st, the Text-to-911 service is operational across all seven of Miami-Dade's 911 call centers, including those in Miami, Hialeah, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Aventura, and Pinecrest.
This initiative aims to assist individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, speech-impaired, or in situations where speaking could increase danger, such as during domestic violence incidents or home invasions.
To utilize the service, users should send a text message to 911, clearly stating the nature of the emergency and their exact location.
Each message is limited to 160 characters, and users are advised to avoid abbreviations, emojis, or multimedia content.
Authorities emphasize that while texting is a valuable tool, calling 911 remains the preferred method when possible, as it allows dispatchers to gather information more quickly and accurately.
Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, who assumed office in January 2025 as Miami-Dade's first elected sheriff since 1966, announced the launch of the Text-to-911 service during a press conference on May 30th.
She highlighted the importance of this advancement in enhancing public safety and accessibility for all community members.
Currently, the Text-to-911 service is available only in English, but plans are underway to expand language support in the future.
For non-emergency situations, such as noise complaints or neighbor disputes, residents are advised to contact the non-emergency line at 305-4-POLICE.
This development aligns Miami-Dade County with other regions that have adopted similar technologies to improve emergency response accessibility.