Deaf woman’s texts to 911 go viral

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety shared a screenshot of an actual text exchange between a 911 dispatcher and a woman who needed help. The post quickly went viral.

The Alpharetta Department of Public Safety was an early adopter of the text-to-911 feature.

Lisa Collis texted 911 to report two children left alone in a car outside a mall, 11 Alive reported.

“I was thrilled when the 911 operator answered my text,” she said.

The dispatcher asked for the address and wrote to call 911 if possible. Collis said she was deaf, highlighting how the service can improve a community’s emergency response.

The post has been shared more than 16,000 times.