 A statewide service allowing Minnesotans to send a text message to 911 during an emergency is up and running. State officials say text to 911 will be especially beneficial for people who are deaf or unable to speak. And it will allow victims who may not be able to talk while a crime is being committed a way to contact authorities. To use the service, a person would type 911 in the number field and then type the nature of the emergency in a location in the body of the text message. This new technology, text to 911 is a game changer and it's going to help save lives. Text to 911 will be valuable in cases of domestic violence, home invasions or even an encounter with a suicidal individual. But think about how long it takes to text with a friend. You stare at your screen waiting for a reply and it seems like it can take forever. It could take that long for you to text with 911 too. Time is precious in an emergency and response times could be delayed due to the amount of time it takes to send and receive texts. That is why 911 would prefer to speak with you. While texting is exciting, it's important to remember that aside from a few exceptions, text to 911 is a second option to calling 911. The motto everyone should think about is call if you can, text if you can't. Dispatchers at all of the state's 104 emergency dispatch centers have been trained on the texting technology. If you've enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland Public Television.