By Jessica Moore

Staff Writer

At their meeting this week, the Marshall County Communications District Board of Directors spoke of a new feature they will be implementing into their 911 services in the very near future,

Each 911 service will have the ability to receive emergency text messages. That means anyone can simply text 911 and a message will be sent to the dispatchers and they will send the appropriate emergency response department.

This is going to be beneficial to people of all ages. Those with hearing disabilities, speaking disabilities, strong accents, or even difficulty speaking the language will be able to ask for help more easily, without having the communication barrier that is sometimes present while speaking.

Another benefit to being able to text 911 for assistance would be in any sort of hostage or kidnapping situation. A person can send a quick text message quietly without drawing attention, and a person in an abusive situation might find texting easier than calling.

The ability to receive video and picture messages will be added in the near future as well. This will be helpful to the emergency responders since they would be able to get an actual glimpse of the scene and be better prepared for what they have to do.

The Marshall County Emergency Departments are excited to be adding this capability to their services.

There were a few new business items discussed, the first being the 2013-2014 budget, which was unanimously approved.

It was briefly discussed that soon there would be a new standard put into place for the dispatchers when answering emergency calls. They will have specific guidelines as to what to ask each caller. It is felt that by doing this the responders will have the most important information upon arriving on the scene.

The Consolidation Committee meeting was held following the Marshall County Communications District Board of Directors meeting on Wednesday.

The Consolidation Committee is currently researching ways, and creating a plan, to consolidate the dispatchers for the Emergency Medical Service, fire departments, police departments, and the Sheriff's Department.

The committee is working out a few kinks and trying to decide on the perfect location before approaching the city council and county commission.

The representatives of each department feel that by consolidating the dispatchers into one facility, they will be able to serve the community better and more efficiently.