The Indiana Statewide 911 Board, in collaboration with INdigital and the State Treasurer’s office, is announcing another tool that enhances communications between non-English speaking citizens and emergency services.
Since 2019, dispatchers at all of Indiana’s Public Safety Answering Points have had access to “Language Line,” which provides voice translating services for 911 callers. Over the past three years, Indiana telecommunicators have used voice translation services for nearly 70 of the more than 250 languages available. Spanish is the most frequently translated language used, comprising 91% of the translation calls. Marion, Elkhart, Allen, White, and Tippecanoe counties are the top five users of the system.
Speaking at the Metropolitan Emergency Services Agency this afternoon, Treasurer Kelly Mitchell (chair of the Statewide 911 Board) unveiled significant enhancements to the Text-to-911 system. Citizens can now send text messages in their native language directly to 911 for help, and they will be automatically translated for the dispatcher. As the dispatcher responds, it will be automatically translated back into the native language of the individual. 108 languages are available for Text-to-911 translation.
In 2014, Indiana was one of the first states to begin implementing Text to 911, and by 2016 all 92 counties had the capability. As a result, Indiana telecommunicators have processed over 1.3 million inbound and outbound text sessions
