Bronx 911 center glitch on Aug. 18 blocks hundreds of emergency calls

On Aug 18, a malfunction in the Bronx emergency-call facility disrupted New York City's 911 system for roughly seven hours, from 3 a.m. to 10 a.m. During that period, 5,659 calls entered the system but about 1,700 failed to reach a dispatcher, representing roughly one-third of the volume to that center. Officials estimate that up to 400 residents may have been unable to speak with an operator after accounting for duplicate and alarm calls.

The breakdown was first noticed when Bronx police dispatchers heard only silence on the line. City spokesperson Jeremy Edwards said the mayor’s office is investigating the cause and will ensure follow-up for those affected. Gloria Chin of the Office of Technology and Innovation confirmed repairs were underway and that service has since returned to normal. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in a system that handles about 10 million calls annually.