Montreal latest North American city being urged to explore 911 texting service
Posted Sep 24, 2016 03:47:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MONTREAL – A local politician wants Montreal city council to become the next municipality to consider allowing residents to use text messages to communicate with 911 emergency operators.
Francois Limoges, an opposition city councillor with Projet Montreal, says he intends to introduce a motion Monday night asking Montreal police to study the feasibility of such a service.
Calls for widely available texting services are on the rise in some North Amercian cities since the mass shooting at an Orlando nightclub in June, when it was reported that some of the victims texted family members to ask them to call 911 out of fear of drawing the shooter’s attention.
In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission says about 670 dispatch centres can currently accept 911 texts.
In Canada, 911 texting is available for people with speech or hearing impairments in most communities, with others still in the process of upgrading their networks to support the service.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), which regulates telecommunications in Canada, is reviewing the potential for “next generation” 911 services and is expected to hold public hearings in January.
