911 text messaging service coming in 2014

Most 911 centers can't receive text messages. But that doesn't always stop people from texting them in an emergency, not knowing their pleas for help won't be seen. A new initiative announced Friday will finally bring texting technology to emergency centers across the country in 2014 or sooner. The top four wireless carriers in the U.S. have agreed to speed up their efforts to support text-to-911 capabilities, making it available by May 15, 2014. Once the carriers are set up, local emergency response centers will still need the proper equipment, software and training to receive and respond to the texts.