EMERGENCY TEXT SERVICE LAUNCHES IN DORSET

A new emergency text service is being introduced in Dorset and throughout the south-west of England - specifically for the use of the deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired.

From today - Monday 6 October 2008 - members of the public who are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech impairment will be able to send a text message to the telephone number 80999 in an emergency situation.

The controller will respond by calling for appropriate assistance to respond from any of the emergency services, including police, fire, ambulance and coastguard.

The service has been introduced to improve emergency service access for the deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired community and compliments the work of Dorset Police’s Police Link Officers for the Deaf service (PLOD).

Inspector Geoff Hicks, of the Dorset Police Force Control Room, said: “Many of us are fortunate enough not to require the emergency services often, if at all, but we hope this service will give reassurance to people who cannot use voice telecommunications and reduce a significant barrier in an emergency situation.

“The service has been very successful in Hampshire and we are excited that it will now be available for communities in Dorset, and throughout the south-west region.”

Bob Hark, Head of Service Policy at Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said: "This is a brilliant initiative which makes our service more accessible to those who cannot use the conventional 999 system. This emergency services partnership makes Dorset safer and could save lives."

In the meantime, Dorset Police and other police forces in the south-west recognised an opportunity to improve access to their emergency services for the members of their communities, and are taking historic steps in the implementation of that service.

The public launch of this service coincides with Learn to Sign Week, an annual series of events coordinated by the British Deaf Association which gives schools the opportunity to get involved, with anything from learning British Sign Language to helping raise money for the charity.

Important points about the service:

This service is provided as a specific access service for people who cannot use voice telephony and is not an additional service for general contact. Voice contact to the 999 service in an emergency situation remains the method of contact for those able to access it.

Dorset Police will take action against any individuals who misuse the 80999 service.

Dorset Police cannot be held responsible for delays in receiving messages. A person using the service will know their message has been received only when they receive a reply. Until a reply is received, it is advisable to try other ways to contact the emergency services. As with any text messaging system, no text messages are guaranteed to arrive quickly, and the service relies on the mobile phone companies and the network.