Most 911 centers can't receive text messages. But that doesn't always stop people from texting the familiar number in an emergency, not knowing their pleas for help won't be seen.

A new initiative announced Friday will finally bring the 20-year-old SMS texting technology to emergency centers across the country in the coming years.

The top four wireless carriers in the U.S. have agreed to speed up their efforts to support text-to-911 capabilities, making it available by May 15, 2014, according to a statement from the Federal Communications Commission released Friday.