I also do not text, but I do use my cell (Blackberry) to retrieve email when away from my laptop. I've only sent a couple emails from the cell, but once typed they were on the street quickly. That said, for an emergency, I would still need for someone to open the email and then do the right thing. Perhaps the email could tell them what to do. . . like call 9-1-1.

My Blackberry has GPS, would pinging it get a location?