More than 214,000 people with a hearing loss or difficulty with speech have signed up to the 999 text service over the past six years, it has been revealed.
Information obtained from BT and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by The Limping Chicken found that 180,060 people registered to Emergency SMS from 2011 to April 2016, with a further 35,000 joining the service up to December last year.
In response to the news, Paul Breckell, chief executive at Action on Hearing Loss said: “We are very pleased to see that this valuable service is being utilised by those with deafness and hearing loss.
“Ensuring that the emergency services are fully accessible to the 11 million people with hearing loss and 900,000 people with severe or profound deafness in the UK is incredibly important and we would urge anyone who isn’t signed up to the scheme to do so now.”
People interested in signing up to Emergency SMS can text ‘register’ to 999, where they will receive a text with further instructions on how to join. In an emergency, individuals can then send a text to the number containing information about what and where the problem is taking place and which service they require. The emergency services will then respond via. text within three minutes.
The service has been running since September 2009, before being made permanent following a successful trial two years later. Emergency SMS is funded by mobile networks and was developed by organisations such as Action on Hearing Loss, BT, Cable & Wireless, Ofcom, DCMS and the emergency services.
Alongside Emergency SMS, all UK mobile providers must offer voice and text relay services for 999 calls under Ofcom rules.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: “The emergency SMS scheme has proved very successful and is highly valued by hearing and speech-impaired people.
“Getting help right away can make a big difference in emergency situations. The service means that means that deaf and speech-impaired people can contact 999 quickly, easily and with confidence.”
More information about Emergency SMS can be found on their website, and a leaflet about the service can be downloaded from Action on Hearing Loss here.
By Liam O’Dell. Liam is partially deaf and uses hearing aids in both ears. Alongside studying for a degree in journalism, Liam enjoys presenting his own radio show, listening to music and reading one of the many books on his ’to-be-read’ list. You can find out more about Liam over at his blog: www.thelifeofathinker.
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samthornesite
January 27, 2017
I am so relieved that more and more people are signing up to this service. A little more advertising would go a long way; when I was telling a number of deaf beta-readers about a story plot I was pulling together, they expressed disbelief at the main character’s call to 999 using text. I had to link to the site to get them to believe me!
Patricia
January 27, 2017
The only problem is that you can’t test it until you actually need 999!
Kim
January 28, 2017
This service is also potentially useful for people who spend time in remote areas (hiking, or whatever) – sometimes the phone signal isn’t good enough for voice, but SMS can still get through. Or for people who need to alert the authorities of a crime in progress without attracting attention.
Basically, the more mainstream this is, the better. Ideally it would work without requiring registration.
mjfahey
January 31, 2017
I think I was one of the first to register with this service way back in 2010, but, as you get older your mind starts playing tricks on you.. did I? or was it something else? How can this senile old man check he’s registered without having the police knocking on my door?
Laura
February 1, 2017
Text ‘register’ to 999. If you are registered it will tell you.