Earlier this month, Pennsylvania faced a significant disruption in its emergency response system when the Next-Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) network experienced intermittent outages, leaving many residents unable to reach emergency services via the traditional 911 number. Initial fears of a cyberattack were quickly dispelled as state officials revealed the root cause to be a defect in an operating system, stemming from a rare software glitch tied to a recent update.
The Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) released a preliminary report on July 22, 2025, confirming that the outages were not the result of malicious cyber activity. Instead, the disruptions were traced to an operating system flaw affecting the Next Generation Core Services (NGCS), the backbone technology responsible for processing and routing 911 calls across the state.
"As soon as the intermittent outages started, our vendors and partner public safety organizations began to investigate the cause and take steps to resolve the issue," said Jeff Boyle, PEMA's Executive Deputy Director. To mitigate the impact on public safety, authorities activated the Emergency Alert System and issued Wireless Emergency Alerts statewide, urging residents to follow county-specific backup plans if they could not reach emergency dispatchers through the usual three-digit number.
The NG911 system operates by routing 911 calls to one of four NGCS instances housed in two separate data centers. Upon dialing 911, a caller's location is determined by the NGCS, which then directs the call to the appropriate Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) — essentially the county's 911 center — for dispatch. This modern system, implemented statewide in April 2025, replaced older infrastructure and introduced capabilities such as sending photos and videos to dispatchers, enhancing the emergency response process.
Despite the widespread nature of the outage, some counties, such as Crawford County, experienced minimal impact. Greg Beveridge, Crawford County's Public Safety Director, noted that their 911 center was able to continue receiving calls and dispatching services effectively during the disruption.
Governor Josh Shapiro praised the swift response from emergency teams, stating, "Our team got on it immediately, restored 911 capabilities relatively quickly, and also put out guidance on what folks should do in that interim. I thought they handled it really well. They worked closely with our county officials." His remarks underscored the collaborative effort between state and local agencies to maintain public safety amid technological challenges.
The Bucks County Emergency Communications Center, which handled over 71,000 calls in June 2025 alone — predominantly police-related incidents followed by medical and fire emergencies — was among the areas affected by the outage. Residents were urged to save their county's 10-digit non-emergency 911 number as a precaution. For Bucks County, this number is 215-328-8500, while Crawford County residents are advised to keep (814) 724-2548 accessible.
PEMA emphasized the importance of personal preparedness plans, recommending that all residents store their local non-emergency numbers to ensure they can access assistance even if the main 911 system experiences issues. This advice is particularly pertinent given the recent outage and the ongoing efforts to bolster system redundancy.
Looking ahead, PEMA officials are conducting a more detailed analysis of the incident to identify corrective measures aimed at enhancing the resilience of Pennsylvania's NG911 infrastructure. While the initial investigation has ruled out cyberattacks, the agency is committed to transparency and plans to release additional non-security-sensitive information once the review is complete.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical role technology plays in public safety and the need for robust backup systems. As emergency management leaders stress, while such glitches are rare, preparedness at both the organizational and individual levels remains essential.
In summary, Pennsylvania’s recent 911 outage was caused by a technical flaw in the NG911 operating system rather than a cyberattack. Swift action by PEMA and local agencies, combined with public alerts and backup protocols, helped mitigate the disruption’s impact. Ongoing investigations and system improvements aim to prevent similar occurrences in the future, reinforcing the state’s commitment to safeguarding its residents during emergencies.
