Texting is often used because it’s often more convenient than a phone call. Berrien County and the city of Niles are now harnessing that convenience…as long as people truly need it.

Berrien County officials announced Tuesday afternoon that their 911 center has a texting service up and running, and so does the city of Niles, according to WSBT.

Texting 911 is designed for callers who cannot speak openly to report an emergency. It’s also a relief for hearing and speech-impaired citizens who have trouble conveying their message during a phone call.

However, don’t text 911 just because you’re lazy. Berrien County encourages people to remember that Text-to-911 is ONLY for emergencies, people should never text while driving, and “Call if you can; Text if you can’t!”