You can now text 911 during an emergency in Placer County. Find out how it works

Placer County residents and visitors can now text 911 in an emergency, the county said Tuesday.

Texting 911 is encouraged when you’re not able to speak or when it’s not safe to call 911 during an emergency, county officials said in a news release.

“Remember, ‘call if you can — text if you can’t,’” the county said. “Calling 911 is still a faster and more efficient way of relaying an emergency to the public safety dispatchers.”

But if in an emergency situation arises where someone cannot safely make a voice call, 911 dispatchers can send help after receiving an SMS text message.

If texting 911, the text cannot contain images or videos, and it cannot be sent in a group text, the county said. The message must be directly sent to 911 over the cellular protocol.

Residents with questions about the new system can contact the Roseville Police Department at 916-774-5000.

This story was originally published May 2, 2023 at 12:18 PM.