In several states, texting 911 for help is the newest way to summon police, but Florida is not among them.
Starting last Thursday, select locations in the U.S. can text 911 in an emergency situation, provided their cellphone carrier supports the service, according to the Federal Communications Commission.
The FCC proposed a rule that would require all cellphone providers to support this texting feature by Dec. 31.
Maj. Brad Barber, spokesman for University Police, said UF already has similar resources.
Blue light emergency phone systems are installed around the UF campus, and UPD monitors these phone systems constantly.
“Any method that helps expedite getting law enforcement officers to an incident location would be beneficial,” Barber said.
Ivette De Santiago, a 20-year-old UF art and technology junior, said when calling for help, authorities can hear the tone of your voice and sense immediacy. But in some situations, calling might not be an option.
“If you are being abused, you won’t want to pick up the phone and call,” De Santiago said. “You can be more inconspicuous with texting.”
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 5/20/2014 under the headline "States start 911 texts for emergencies, not Florida"]
