After creating SMS Dispatchers on the Settings page, these phone numbers can now be used to create new incidents by SMS. This is particularly useful where there is no Internet connectivity. While you are not able to provide as much information as a Web Dispatcher or Mobile Dispatcher, SMS Dispatchers can send out an Incident Alert to all Available Responders, which is the most essential step in emergency dispatching — Beacon will take care of the rest.
To create an incident by SMS:
- On your phone, send an SMS to the Beacon Number requesting assistance (including your name)
- Next, you will receive a response asking for your location. Reply with the Incident Address and Description, which will be sent to all available responders as an incident alert
- Text “Disregard” to cancel the incident
Additional Notes
- A phone number cannot be listed in Beacon as an SMS Dispatcher AND a Responder — it’s one or the other
- A phone number that’s registered as an SMS Dispatcher can only be used to create one incident at a time
- Because you can’t include GPS location information when creating an incident by SMS, you’ll need to provide as much information as possible in your description, including accurate physical descriptions of the incident location and contact info where possible