'Major' statewide outage: 911 system restored in Massachusetts after more than two hours (2024)

Emergency dispatch services in Massachusetts have been restored following a "major" statewide outage on Tuesday afternoon.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu confirmed the outage in a press conference, saying that she hoped it was momentary but ended up lasting around two hours. Service was restored just before 3:45 p.m.

The state's emergency management services didn't provide any details on the 'why,' with its announcement service was restored on Tuesday afternoon.

During the outage, those in need of emergency services, were urged to call the local numbers for their police department or to use of the local call boxes that are on streets. Use these links to find your region:Central Massachusetts; North Central Massachusetts; the South Shore; greater Brockton; greater Fall River, and MetroWest.

How can all of the state of Massachusetts be down for 911 services

The Massachusetts 911 emergency system is managed and operated by the State 911 Department. The state uses Next Generation 911, which has "several redundancies to reroute a 911 call" so that it reaches a telecommunicator, the spokesperson said to the Patriot Ledger, part of the USA Today Network, in April.

On April 12, parts of the Massachusetts State 911 was down for roughly an hour. The cause was a network issue with a State 911 Department data center, according to a department spokesperson. This led to about one-quarter of the state's 206 "public safety answering points" experiencing issues with telecommunicator workstations.

What police reported during the press conference on the Celtics parade

"This could be very temporary, and we're waiting to hear about how long it will last," said Police Commissioner and Chief of Boston Police Department Michael Cox at a press conference. "We thought it was important, particularly with the heat, to give people the opportunity to know what's going on."

Emergency services were restored just before 3:45 p.m. after about a two hour disruption.

Brockton Fire Department was one of the first to notify the public about the outage. The Boston Police Department is also reporting the problem.

It's not clear at this time what is causing the outage and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security is investigating a cause.

During the outage Boston’s Chief of Emergency Medical Services James Hooleysaid that the system used to take incoming calls is still working.

"Any information that gets entered by any of the agencies ... we send each other message, we talk on a radios," he said. "As long as it gets in the system, we will be able to connect you to the right service."

Wu reiterated that if people get in charge with one of the agencies, they will "make sure you get to the right place so don't worry about needing to have the exact right number as this is getting resolved, hopefully very quickly."

Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and more says 911 outage alerts are for Massachusetts only

"To clarify for those that received the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA): Connecticut is NOT experiencing a 911 outage. The Wireless Emergency Alert you received was intended for Massachusetts. Please refer to the map for the affected area," reads a tweet from the Connecticut Emergency Management Agency

Wireless emergency alerts were sent out in error to neighboring states including Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Emergency officials initially said that FEMA was investigating what happened. But Maine Emergency Management updated on X, the platform formerly called Twitter, that "FEMA clarified that they are not involved in an investigation at this time."

What are nonemergency numbers for Central Mass.?

During the 9-1-1 outage, here are numbers to call in Central Massachusetts if you are experiencing an emergency.

• Auburn, (508) 832-7777
• Charlton, (508) 248-2266
• Clinton, (978) 365-4111
• Douglas Police Department, (508) 466-3333
• Dudley, (508) 466-3333
• Fitchburg, (978) 345-4355
• Gardner, (978) 632-5600 (police); 978-632-1616 (fire)
• Grafton, (508) 839-5343
• Leominster, (978) 534-7560
• Millbury, (508) 865-3521
• Mass. State Police Worcester County, (508) 829-8420
• Nashoba Valley Regional Emergency Communications Center, (978) 772-1900 (Boxborough, Devens, Harvard, Lancaster, Lunenburg)
• North Brookfield, (508) 867-5181
• Northborough (508) 393-1515, extension 1 (dispatch)
• Oxford, (508) 987-0156
• Rutland Regional Emergency Dispatch, (508) 886-4033 (towns of Rutland, Oakham, Barre, Hubbardston, Warren)
• Shrewsbury, (508) 841-8577
• Southborough, (508) 485-3232
• Southbridge, (508) 764-5420
• Sturbridge, (508) 347-2525
• Sutton, (508) 865-4449
• Templeton, (978) 939-5638 or 5678
• Wachusett Regional Emergency Communications Center, (508) 210-5646 (towns of Holden, West Boylston, Princeton, Paxton)
• Webster, (508) 943-1212
• Westborough, (508) 475-4800
• Worcester Police Department, (508) 799-8606

What are the non-emergency numbers in North Central Massachusetts

Police

• Gardner: 978-632-5600, ext. 0
• Ashburnham: 978-827-4413
• Hubbardston: 978 928-1405
• Phillipston: 978-249-3560
• Templeton: 978-939-5638
• Westminster: 978-874-2117
• Winchendon: 978-297-1212

Fire

• Gardner: 978-630-4051
• Ashburnham: 978-827-4413
• Hubbardston: 978 928-4423
• Phillipston: 978-249-6302
• Templeton: 978-939-2222
• Westminster: 978-874-2313
• Winchendon: 978 297-2324

What are the non-emergency numbers around Fall River

• Fall River - If you require Fall River Police, EMS, or Fire Department you may dial 508-676-8511 until further notice.

• Freetown - If you need emergency assistance, please call the Freetown Communications Center directly at 508-763-4017, Extension 1 for Dispatch.

• Somerset - If you have an emergency please dial the business line at 508-679-2138
• Swansea - If you need emergency services please call our business line 508-674-8464.
• Westport - If you need assistance, please call the main department number at (508) 636-1122

What are the phone numbers around the Brockton area

What are the non-emergency lines around MetroWest

• Ashland - 508-881-1212
• Holliston - 508-429-1212
• Hopkinton - 508-497-3401
• Holliston - 508-429-1212
• Framingham - 508-872-1212
• Marlborough - 508-485-1212
• Southborough - 508-485-2121
• Northborough - 508-393-1515
• Westborough - 508-366-3060
• Sudbury - 978-443-2121
• Hudson - 978-562-7122
• Wayland - 508-358-4721
• Milford -508-473-1113
• Franklin - 508-528-1212
• Bellingham - 508-966-1515
• Hopedale - 508-473-8444
• Millis - 508-376-5112
• Medway - 508-533-3212
• Blackstone - 508-883-1212
• Millville - 508-883-3117

What are the non-emergency numbers on the South Shore

Abington police: 781-878-3232Braintree police: 781-843-1212Carver police: 508-866-2000Cohasset police: 781-383-1212 or 781-383-1055Duxbury police: 781-934-5656Hanover police: 781-826-2335Hanson police: 781-293-4625Hingham police: 781-749-1212Hull police: 781-925-1212Kingston police: 781-585-0523Marshfield police: 781-834-6655Milton police: 617-698-3800Norwell police: 781-659-7979 ext. 9Pembroke police: 781-293-6363Plymouth police: 508-746-1212Quincy police: 617-479-1212Randolph police: 781-963-1212Rockland police: 781-871-3890Scituate police: 781-545-1212Weymouth police: 781-335-1212Whitman police: 781-447-1212

Fire

Abington fire: 781-982-2117Braintree fire: 781-843-3600Carver fire: 508-866-3440Cohasset fire: 781-383-0616Duxbury fire: 781-934-5693Hanover fire: 781-826-3151Hanson fire: 781-293-9571Hingham fire: 781-741-1416Hull fire: 781-925-8111Kingston fire: 781-585-0532Marshfield fire: 781-837-1315Milton fire: 617-898-4901Norwell fire: 781-659-8158Pembroke Fire: 781-293-2300Plymouth fire: 508-746-2211Quincy fire: 617-376-1040Randolph fire: 781-961-0991 or 781-961-0992 or 781-963-3131Rockland fire: 781-878-2123Scituate fire: 781-545-5515

Weymouth fire: 781-337-5151

Whitman fire: 781-447-7626

Another phone number for Cohasset, Hingham, Hull and Norwell police or fire emergencies: South Shore Regional Emergency Communication Center, 781-740-0270.