911 Outage Across Three States Caused by Light Pole Installation Error

A widespread 911 systems outage affected emergency services across Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska on April 17, 2024, lasting for nearly three hours. The telecommunications company Lumen, formerly known as CenturyLink, confirmed that the outage was caused by a mistake during the installation of a light pole in Kansas City, Missouri.

The incident disrupted 911 calls and emergency response capabilities in the affected states. Authorities in impacted areas, such as Dundy County and Douglas County in Nebraska, worked to provide alternative contact information for residents during the outage. Law enforcement agencies urged people to use landlines or text 911 if cellular calls were not going through.

Lumen stated that a third-party company accidentally cut into one of their fiber lines while installing the light pole, which was unrelated to Lumen's services. The company's technicians were able to identify the issue and restore all services within approximately two and a half hours.

Why this matters: The 911 outage highlighted the vulnerability of critical telecommunications infrastructure and the need for improved redundancy in emergency response systems. It also underscored the importance of coordination between utility companies and local authorities to prevent such disruptions.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched an investigation into the cause and impact of the multi-state 911 outage. "The FCC has made it clear that resilient 911 networks are a top priority, and we will be looking into this outage," said an FCC spokesperson. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also monitoring the situation.

Officials emphasized that the outage was not related to a cyberattack or other malicious act. They confirmed that the incident was isolated and not connected to separate 911 issues experienced by some wireless carriers in Texas around the same time. Lumen assured the public that the light pole installation error was the sole cause of the disruption.

The 911 outage occurred during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, which honors emergency service providers and highlights the critical role of the nation's telecommunications infrastructure. Industry experts called for increased funding to upgrade and fortify 911 systems against potential failures and threats. Despite the challenges posed by the outage, authorities praised the professionalism and adaptability of emergency responders in maintaining public safety services during the disruption.

Key Takeaways

• 911 systems outage affected Nevada, South Dakota, and Nebraska on April 17, 2024.
• Outage caused by a mistake during light pole installation in Kansas City, Missouri.
• Outage disrupted 911 calls and emergency response capabilities in affected states.
• FCC launched investigation into cause and impact of the multi-state 911 outage.
• Outage highlighted vulnerability of critical telecommunications infrastructure and need for redundancy.