Two New York residents with disabilities are asking a federal judge to order the implementation of text-to-911 technology in New York City as well as on Long Island.

Text-to-911 allows those suffering from speech or hearing impairments to contact police dispatchers via text message from their cellphones or other mobile devices.

Newsday reports Deborah LoGerfo, of Babylon, and Nicholas Dupree, of Queens, filed the lawsuit last week in federal court in Brooklyn. Their complaint alleges that the city and Suffolk and Nassau county governments discriminate against the disabled by denying direct access to emergency services.

Text-to-911 technology is currently used in 11 of New York’s 62 counties. The state’s forthcoming Next Generation 911 system is capable of accepting videos, photos and files sent through text messages.

Representatives for the defendants declined to comment.

(AP)