BREAKING NEWS ! Officials say 911 message has no cause for alarm

A SMS text message, sent to Hardeman County cell phone subscribers Monday afternoon (September 16), had many residents alarmed (according to law enforcement officials). However, officials said the message was not worded as correctly as it could have been in order to convey the appropriate message.

The message, “in an emergency in Hardeman County, use 731-658-5101 or landline to call 911”, caused the 911 dispatch center to be flooded with calls of individuals who thought there was an emergency.

“It should have said ‘if you have an emergency in Hardeman County and 911 does not work, call 731-658-5101,” said Dana Knight, Dispatch Supervisor for Hardeman County Sheriff’s Department.

Knight said the problem with 911 is spreading throughout the state but asks everyone to call 911 before using the direct line. Additionally, the warning applies only to mobile phones. Landlines should call to 911 without any problems, according to Knight.