01/23/2026
TEXT-TO-911 NOW AVAILABLE IN CONCORDIA PARISH
January 22, 2025
CONCORDIA PARISH, LA - Residents of Concordia Parish can now text 911 during emergencies. The Concordia Parish Communications District launched this initiative on Thursday, marking Concordia the seventh parish in Louisiana to have this capability.
Sheriff David Hedrick said, “The new feature is a positive step toward making emergency contact accessible to everyone. We have been working on this upgrade for a while and are excited to make it available before Winter Storm Fern reaches our area. Our 911 system still offers the Prepared Live feature that allows callers to request a live connection during a 911 call. This feature allows our dispatchers and patrol deputies to see and hear what is happening where the caller is located.”
The purpose of text-to-911 is to provide the ability to request help when speaking is unsafe, such as in domestic violence situations, or whenever speaking to a 911 operator could endanger your life. Additionally, text-to-911 helps better serve our deaf and hearing-impaired community and those with speech difficulties.
How to text 911 during an emergency:
1. Enter “911” into the “To” field.
2. Keep your initial message brief, include your emergency location, and specify the type of assistance needed.
3. Be ready to answer questions and follow instructions from the 911 dispatcher.
4. Use simple language, avoiding abbreviations or slang. Keep messages concise.
Text-to-911 is intended for use in these situations:
For individuals who are deaf, hearing-impaired, or have speech disabilities, when it’s unsafe to make a voice call, or during medical emergencies that prevent speaking.
Although Concordia Parish 911 now offers text-to-911 services, it should only be used when making a voice call isn’t safe or possible.
