Google Messages will let you send RCS to emergency services

If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to call 911, that might not always be possible. There might be a variety of reasons why calling isn’t always going to be available. This is why Google has decided to announce an update to Google Messages where they will allow users to send RCS messages to emergency services.

At the moment, users in the US can reach 911 using regular SMS. However, it isn’t as widely available as you might think. It seems that SMS is only available for about 53% of emergency responder call centers. Not to mention the fact that SMS isn’t as feature-rich compared to RCS.

RCS acts like how you would expect modern day messenger services to work. It allows users to send media files such as photos and videos. This means that in a situation where you might need to provide your location or a landmark, you can take photos and send it along with your message.

Another advantage is that RCS allows the confirmation of the delivery of your message. This means that you can check if your message actually went through. While hopefully many of you won’t find yourselves in such a situation, it’s good to know that it’s there if you do. That being said, the Google Pixel 9 is rumored to feature support for satellite connectivity. This will be another useful feature for emergencies where you might not have cellular coverage.