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For many people who are deaf or have communication disabilities, there have been barriers in using the 911 system in emergencies. However, Milwaukee County just joined  many other communities around the country in offering a 911-to-text system. A full national list is available, including many other Wisconsin communities. Milwaukee County has some guidelines on how to use the Text-to-911 option. 

For people able to use the phone without texting, making voice calls should be the first option because it will be more immediate and the operator can gather information more quickly. 

Not every municipality in the County offers Text-to-911 at this time. You can find a map and a list of Milwaukee County municipalities participating on the County Office of Emergency Management website.

Having options for communicating with emergency services makes our community safer for everyone, as people not able to make voice calls can report emergencies, not to mention people under duress now have an option to communicate silently with 911.