9-1-1 Service Restores after Statewide Outage in Massachusetts

The 9-1-1 outage that blanketed Massachusetts Tuesday afternoon has is over, with service having been restored. 

During the outage, communities took to social media to provide other numbers that citizens could call, or others means to communicate emergencies. 

"We share the same (Computer Aided Dispatch) system, that's working fine," Boston EMS Commissioner James Hooley told WCVB. "Any information that gets entered by any of the agencies, where somebody contacts Fire, Police or EMS and we need the service of the other agency, we send each other a message, we talk on radios and we bail each other out."

The state sent emergency alerts to cell phones across the state to notify them of the outage.

Some residents in surrounding states, including New Hampshire and New York also received the notifications.

"The state 911 department continues to investigate the cause of the disruption," the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security shared in a statement. "We will provide more info when available."

In Boston, fire and police officials told citizens to pull the handle on the fire alarm boxes on street corners to summon help, "The current 911 system is down statewide, if you have an emergency and need assistance pull your nearest Fire Box, or call the Boston Fire Department," the fire department sent out on Twitter.