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"Communication is critical [in an emergency] and calling 911 is still the best way to get help,” said Tedesco, a firefighter for more than 40 years."Being able to text 911 gives residents another option to contact the police and first responders."
Texting 911 may be especially useful in situations when a potential victim is afraid of being overheard or if someone is being confined, Tedesco said.
As with calls, texts from all 70 county municipalities will be routed through the Bergen County Public Safety Operations Center in Mahwah.
It's all part of a statewide collaborative initiative spearheaded by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Telecommunications Services, Tedesco said.
MORE INFO: http://www.nj.gov/911/home/textto911v2.html
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