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911 Callers in Long Beach Get Updates Back Via Text
By Staff Writer
Published on Wed, Sep 23, 2026
If you've ever called 911 and wondered what happens after you hang up, Long Beach is trying out a new way to keep you in the loop.
The City's Department of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Communications recently launched a yearlong pilot program that sends text notifications to certain callers, confirming that their request for help was received and, when necessary, providing updates.
The goal is to give callers a little more information while they wait.
Under the new program, people who call 911 for non-life-threatening matters — such as a public nuisance or noise complaint — may receive an automated text confirming that the call was received. The message will include information about the service request and an incident number, and callers are asked to call back if the situation changes.
The confirmation texts are not intended for calls involving critical, life-threatening emergencies or an imminent threat. Those calls require an immediate public safety response.
If there's a surge in 911 calls or a major incident that is tying up public safety resources, callers whose non-life-threatening requests are taking longer to address may receive a second text. The notifications are designed to let people know their request is still active and that public safety personnel are still working to respond.
The notifications are automated so that dispatchers don't have to stop what they're doing to send individual updates. It allows them to stay focused on active emergencies and higher-priority calls.
The program is scheduled to run for a year, during which the City will monitor how well the notifications work and gather feedback from both callers and staff. That information will help determine whether the text updates become a permanent part of Long Beach's 911 system.
