The City of West Carrollton contracts with the Centerville Police Department for all emergency and non-emergency dispatch services.
A new Text-to-911 program was recently launched at the Centerville dispatch center. The West Carrollton Police and Fire Departments can now accept text messages through its 911 system. Anyone within the City limits of West Carrollton can now text directly with 911 dispatchers for help.
Voice 911 calls are the preferred option in an emergency, however texting offers those with hearing impairments or who cannot safely call 911 another option to request help.
To use the texting feature, the texter needs to text “911” in the “to” field of a new text message and include the location and nature of the emergency in the “message” field. The texter should expect to answer additional questions from the 911 dispatcher until help arrives.
If the text for help is sent outside the geographical boundaries of West Carrollton, the sender will receive an auto-response indicating the service is not available. It is then recommended to make a voice 911 call.
“By having Centerville provide this additional service, it will help us further protect our community in the event of an emergency. Our hearing and speech-impaired population or even those who would otherwise not be able to make a phone call will greatly benefit from this method of communication,” West Carrollton Fire Chief Chris Barnett said.
This program is partially funded through a Federal 911 Grant, which was awarded as a sub-grant through Montgomery County.