911 outage briefly reported in some US cities, according to DownDetector
FILE - A person uses their phone.
A 911 outage was reported on Tuesday night in several U.S. cities, according to Downdetector.
The outage tracker noted nearly 400 reports of issues with 911 around 9:41 p.m. ET. The cause of the outage was not clear, nor was the extent of the issue.
By Wednesday morning, DownDetector received less than 25 reports about the issue.
When did the 911 outage occur?
According to Downdetector, a significant spike in reports of 911 outages occurred around 8:18 p.m. ET with many reporting the line busy, a dropped call or no answer.
There was no official statement immediately shared by emergency service providers.
FOX TV Stations also reached out to AT&T after seeing reports of network outages on social media.
In response, AT&T stated, "We are working to address a software issue that may affect the ability of a limited number of our customers to connect to our wireless network. Keeping our customers connected is our highest priority, so we appreciate their patience as we work to resolve this issue."
The company also confirmed that "FirstNet customers are not impacted."
What should you do if you need emergency assistance?
In the event of a 911 outage, it is crucial to have alternative methods of contacting emergency services. If you experience an emergency and cannot reach 911, consider using direct numbers to local police, fire departments, or medical services.
Additionally, texting 911 or using social media to alert authorities may be possible, depending on your location. Stay tuned for further updates from local authorities and emergency services.