A reader writes:
One of the "high ideas" you mentioned is that people should be able to text 911 (in case a serial killer is after them). This is actually a really big issue for the Federal Communications Commission, which is trying to modernize the 911 system so people can send texts, videos and photos during emergencies. In a speech in September, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said:
But today, if a mobile phone user attempts to send even a simple text to 9-1-1, it goes nowhere. That’s what happened to the students at Virginia Tech who texted 9-1-1 during the terrible shooting several years ago. A tragedy during the 1990s – the carjacking and murder of Jennifer Koon in New York – was significant in spurring the initial focus on NG9-1-1 [Next-generation 911], and is worth recalling. During the incident, Jennifer Koon was able to call 9-1-1 from her car phone but couldn’t speak for fear of alerting her attacker. The PSAP [Public Safety Answering Point – a 911 call center] kept the line open in the hopes the caller would say something, but she never did and was found dead two hours later. The ability to text 9-1-1 might have saved her life.
He also notes (pdf) that texting 911 is important for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
The Dish 