We call 911 in the event of an emergency, but now you can send a text message.

Erie County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper announced Wednesday the Text-to-911 service is now available throughout Erie County. 

"It's really important technology for those who are hearing impaired, those who maybe have trouble speaking, or those who are in situations where it may be dangerous for them to actually make a live phone call," Dahlkemper said of the benefits the new services brings.

The Erie County Department of Public Safety has been testing out the service for weeks. "Text-to-911 is a step toward next generation 911," said Erie County Public Safety Director, John Grappy. "And right now with the text to 911 implementation, we're able to receive the SMS text messages."

Those text messages are routed to the 911 dispatch center. As your text pops up on the screen, dispatchers type back. But the system does come with a few flaws; it doesn't give dispatchers an exact location, and every text sent and received comes with a 10 second delay.

"We only receive, when you Text-to-911, an approximate location based on the cell tower that captured the signal," Grappy explained. "One of the first questions a dispatcher is going to ask, is provide us a physical location or address of where the emergency is located."

And unlike phone calls, dispatchers can't rely on background noise or pick up on red flags through a text message. That's why it's important to remember texting is just another option, not a replacement for calling 911.

"Call if you can, text if you can't," said Dahlkemper. "But for those people who use this technology, it's going to be a life-saver."

To use the Text-to-911 system in Erie County, you need a data or text messaging plan. The system does not work on cell phones that are deactivated.