In brief: Emergency 911 service now reachable via text

Starting Friday, Spokane County residents can reach 911 with a text message.

County officials announced they recently completed testing of the service, which is intended for use in emergency situations when someone can’t safely place a phone call and for those who have hearing or speech disabilities.

Customers with data plans from Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and Sprint can send a text message in an emergency. Dialing 911 is still the most-effective way of requesting emergency services, however, according to a county news release. Text-to-911 service is not available statewide.

County officials gave these tips for safely utilizing the service:

• Text only for emergencies.

• Your first message should be the location of the emergency and the type of help needed (police, fire or medical)

• Use simple words, not abbreviations or emoticons.

• Photos and videos can’t be sent to 911 at this time.

• 911 texting will not work while roaming.

• Non-English translation is not available.

Chad Sokol

Two bodies removed from crashed plane

Officials have removed two bodies from a plane that crashed Thursday afternoon near Oroville in Okanogan County.

The crash was discovered by firefighters responding to a fire about 8 miles east of Oroville. At the time, they believed only one person was in the Cessna T-182.

The area did not cool down enough to allow close inspection until Friday morning, and that is when the second body was discovered, Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers said.

Investigators believe they know the identity of the two people who died but have not yet notified their family members. The people live in the area and took off Thursday from the Oroville Airport, Rogers said.

Nina Culver

One chlorine gas victim released from hospital

One man hospitalized after he was exposed to chlorine gas Wednesday at a recycling company in east Spokane has been released from the hospital and three others in intensive care were doing better Friday.

“All three have dramatically improved in the last 24 hours,” said Mike Tracy, spokesman for Pacific Steel and Recycling.

The men were sickened when a cylinder was crushed to recycle it, and it had chlorine gas inside it – unbeknownst to the workers.

Tracy said the business is expected to reopen Monday.

Of the remaining patients, one is at Deaconess Hospital and two are at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Deaconess listed its patient in critical condition Friday. Sacred Heart declined to provide patient conditions.

Jonathan Brunt