Virgin Islanders unable to speak to a 911 operator because of a disability or the nature of their emergency can now send text messages, officials said Tuesday at a Government House briefing.
People with hearing impairments or other disabilities — as well as people who may be in danger and unable to make a voice call — can send simple, direct texts to 911 operators, said Daryl Jaschen, director of the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency. A text message to 911 could be much safer than a voice call during an active shooter or domestic violence incident.
“All our 911 operators now can receive emergency text messages at their work stations,” Jaschen said. “While texting to 911 enhances our systems … it does come with some cautions.”
First, if possible, a phone call to 911 was better than a text. The operator could ask questions in real time and possibly be able to better assess the emergency.
Second, do not send a text to 911 to test the system, Jaschen warned. Telecommunications providers Viya, Liberty, and T-Mobile spent a year developing and testing the system with emergency services, he said.
Any text to 911 should be short and to the point, include the exact location and the nature of the situation. The text should not include any slang or abbreviations that could confuse a 911 operator. Emoji, photos, and videos are also not allowed, Jaschen said.
In other news, the V.I. government planned to start mailing income tax refunds to more than 3,000 Virgin Islanders who filed their returns before July 28, 2023, said Richard Motta, director of communications at Government House.
“Governor Bryan understands that many Virgin Islanders and Virgin Islands families depend on these refunds as an important source of additional income. Particularly in this climate of economic uncertainty and rising costs of consumer goods, these funds take care of critical household needs,” Motta said.
Motta also confirmed the territory was still researching how President Donald Trump’s proposed global trade tariffs might impact the Virgin Islands, which is outside the U.S. customs zone. He said negotiations with Washington were still underway.
Acting St. Thomas/St. John Police Chief Rael Donastorg said Carnival Village would be patrolled by drones in addition to security cameras and officers on foot. He said officers at all Carnival events would have zero tolerance for violence or any other criminal activity.
“If you act up, you get locked up,” Donastorg said, warning that entire events could be shut down because of an incident.
