The Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working to educate people about how 9-1-1 works and what it can and cannot do.
John Benson, Spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says April is National 9-1-1 Education Month.
He says everyone should be aware that 9-1-1 is only to be used in emergencies when you need help from first responders.
Benson says it’s important to be aware of your location when calling so the operator can dispatch help to you quicker.
He says another great service they are working on is called text to 9-1-1.
"That text will go into a 9-1-1 center and that dispatcher, instead of picking up the phone and answering it, will see the text actually pop up on their screen and they can have a text conversation that way. We want to remind people the most efficient way to get a hold of 9-1-1 is to dial 9-1-1 and have a voice call. But we also recognize there are situations where that may not be feasible, like a home invasion where a person is hiding.”
Benson says they are directing considerable time and effort to make that tool available across the state.
He says they anticipate by the end of the year in Iowa, all of their answering points in the state will be able to take text to 9-1-1 calls.
For more information, the website is www.BeReady.Iowa.gov.