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Skagit County will begin accepting text messages to 911 starting March 1.
Helen Rasmussen, director of Skagit 911, said the upgrade will ensure that those who are hard of hearing or have a speech disorder can contact emergency services without specialized equipment.
Rasmussen also said parts of remote Skagit County have spotty cellphone service and can’t sustain a 911 call, but that it might be possible to send a text.
Texting 911 should be used if calling is difficult or unsafe. In order to help dispatchers understand the extent of the emergency, those texting are asked to use complete words and concise language, according to a news release from Skagit 911…