The Saskatchewan government has expanded 911 service in the province to include people who have a hearing or speech impairment.
Text With 911 allows people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired to register their cellphones so they can communicate with 911 operators by text.
“The Government of Saskatchewan’s long-anticipated announcement has the potential of enhancing the safety and quality of life for persons with hearing loss, which comprise the largest segment of the population of persons with disabilities,” Nairn Gillies, the executive director of Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, said in a statement.
“Text With 911 will go a long way in enabling the caller to receive the appropriate service in a timely manner.”
READ MORE: Coming soon: Text-to-911 for the hearing impaired in Saskatchewan
Registered users will still need to call 911 in an emergency situation. Once the call starts, a 911 operator will begin a text message conversation to determine what emergency services are needed.
Nairn Gilles, the director of Saskatchewan Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, said that while this is a good first step, there is still a lot of work to be done, including access to interpreting services.
“The 911 call is where an emergency starts, but then in an ambulance, how do communicate with the person there?” Gilles said.
“You get to the hospital, what about the nurse? What about the doctor? What about your deaf husband and deaf wife who’s waiting in the waiting room who’s talking to them? And a phone book won’t solve that problem. You don’t give it to a deaf person and think they’re going to make their own phone call.”
People wanting to register for the service can do so by contacting their wireless provider or by visiting Text With 911.
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