Lee County commissioners and Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that county residents and visitors now can send a text to 911 in an emergency. Placing a voice call to 911 remains the most effective method for requesting emergency assistance, so Text to 911 should be used only when the caller is deaf or hard of hearing, experiencing a medical event that makes clear speech difficult, or is in a dangerous situation where it is not possible to safely make a voice call, such as an active shooter, domestic violence incident or home invasion. Text to 911 is only for emergencies. It is a crime to text or call 911 as a “test” or with a false report. When texting to 911 in an emergency, enter 911 in the “To” field without dashes between numbers, briefly give the exact location and type of emergency and be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the 911 dispatcher. A text or data plan is required to text to 911 and regular rates will apply.