Deaf Man's 911 Text Saves House From Fire

<i><b>Deaf News - Deaf man's 911 text went to operators at Oakland County Dispatch Center to saves house from fire.</b></i><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://deafyouvideo.blogspot.com/2016/07/deaf-mans-911-text-saves-house-from-fire.html" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Deaf Man's 911 Text Saves House From Fire"><img height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp__puT4-_x4mxkfYGU8q-cfpu1QTJgxRCZ5WHsRcswcZTv6dTHPEiX3oYpCUnLi-HXqub7ZCqNH5Ad2PnApP7BZkVr94BPh_SkvZy41Bp1iqrC0_DfsN2kdfKfuYDh0llNICIMpfkttnM/s320/911-text.jpg" width="300" /></a>ROCHESTER HILLS, MI -- WDIV Detroit: It seems as if people text more than they talk in modern days. That's why some communities have started allowing people to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Generation_9-1-1" target="_blank">text 911</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br />Residents in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland_County,_Michigan" target="_blank">Oakland County</a> are allowed to text 911 and a message will appear on a screen for a dispatcher to read. A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearing_loss" target="_blank">Deaf</a> Rochester Hills man said the texting system saved his house from burning down.<br /><br /><br /><br />The fire started when the man's mother, Mary Powers, tried to clean the oven.<br /><br /><br /><br />"I smelled something and I came out here and the oven was on fire," Powers said.<br /><br /><br /><br />She ran back in the room to tell her son, Scott Powers, to get help.<br /><br /><br /><br />"I told him to call 911," she said.<br /><br /><br /><br />Her son pulled out his cellphone but didn't dial.<br /><br /><br /><br />"That means text because he's Deaf," Powers said.<br /><br /><br /><br />"I'm Deaf, I can't talk on the phone, need fire department immediately," the text read.<br /><br /><br /><br />The text went right through to operators at the <a href="https://www.oakgov.com/sheriff/Pages/about/div_emergency_dispatch.aspx" target="_blank">Oakland County Dispatch Center</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br />Oakland County has been equipped with the 911 text messaging for just over a year. They average around 12 emergency text messages a day. Scott Powers owns his house and is thankful the county can accommodate his needs.<br /><br /><br /><br />"I like to be independent without depending on other people," he said. "I used to think, 'What would I do if my house was on fire?' The first thing I used to think was, 'Run to my neighbor.'"<br /><br /><br /><br />He's fortunate to live in an area where he can get emergency help. He hopes other communities will get on board with the technology.<br /><br /><br /><br />"When I'm on the road visiting a friend, sometimes it doesn't work," Powers said. "I'll text 911. I'd get a response back saying it's not available."<br /><br /><br /><br />This was the first time the Rochester Hills Fire Department benefited from the 911 text. But they realize this will likely not be the last time.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/deaf-mans-911-text-saves-house-from-fire" target="_blank">SOURCE</a>

Deaf Man's 911 Text Saves House From Fire

Deaf News - Deaf man's 911 text went to operators at Oakland County Dispatch Center to saves house from fire. ROCHESTER HILLS, MI -- WDI...

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