Verizon Wireless users in Hernando, Manatee, Pinellas and Sarasota counties can once again call 911 without experiencing issues after a nationwide outage.
The Hernando County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) first reported the issues Verizon Wireless users could experience when trying to dial 911 shortly before 1:30 p.m. Pinellas County reported the issue shortly after 3 p.m. Hillsborough and Manatee County sent out their notice around 4:50 p.m. Sarasota County reported the outage at 6 p.m.
The counties said the 911 call could fail or that the caller might not be able to hear the operator, but if it did ring, they would call back.
It's important to note Verizon users can text 911 when in need of emergency assistance. When texting 911, be sure to:
- Enter the numbers “911” in the “To” or “Recipient” field. The first text to 9-1-1 should be short, include the location of the emergency, and ask for police, fire or ambulance.
- Push the “Send” button. Answer questions and follow instructions from the 9-1-1 call taker.
- Text in simple words –no abbreviations or slang. Keep text messages short.
