Imagine it: You've just witnessed a crime but you don't want the crook to know you did, so you watch, powerless, until their far enough away. Finally, you call 911.
What if, though, you could text 911 instead?
Well, now you can.
The San Diego Sheriff's office announced Tuesday that concerned citizens can now text 911 to report police, fire and medical emergencies.
The new service, of course, will now be able to help out residents who are deaf, hard of hearing or having difficulty speaking for whatever reason, medical or otherwise.
Texting 911 (just enter 9-1-1 in the "to" field) is simple, officials said, but they wanted to remind anyone who does so about a few things, namely: Be sure to include your location and the nature of your emergency.
And if you were wondering -- skip the emojis, abbreviations/acronyms, and pics and videos this time. Also, no group texts.
Local
The service is only currently available to English speakers, officials said.
