State officials are working with FairPoint Communications to fix a system that, when it’s working, allows people in need of emergency services to send a text message to 911 instead of calling.
Barb Neal, the executive director at Vermont’s Enhanced 911 Board, said the system has been offline because of a software bug since August 1.
“The testing and implementation of the fix is underway, though I do not have a firm date for when it will be implemented,” Neal said Friday.
The text message system handles a far smaller volume of emergencies. According to Neal, the text message system received 550 messages in 2015, compared to 206,000 phone calls.
FairPoint, the state’s contractor for 911 systems, is required to provide the text message service under its contract with the state.
