Deaf and speech impaired residents can now contact fire, police, ambulance and coastguard services by texting 61051.

The service works by sending texts to the police control room via mobile phone network O2. Callers are asked to supply the location of the incident and a brief description of what's happened. A reply will then be sent to acknowledge receipt of the message.

The caller is also advised to continue to seek help by other means.

The text service cannot always guarantee an instant response, as it depends on the demands of the mobile phone network.

The system has been developed through a partnership of Merseyside Police, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, Merseyside Ambulance Service, HM Coastguard and deaf support groups, including Merseyside Society for Deaf People.

There are an estimated 250,000 people with hearing loss living in Merseyside, including 5,000 who are deaf and communicate through sign language.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Mike Hagen said: "This is a big step forward in opening up access to the emergency services to people with hearing or speech impairments. It is making excellent use of the latest technology to help overcome barriers for some of our more vulnerable residents."

Source: http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/3179