UPDATE: phone call services have been restored to dispatch centers in Barry, Battle Creek, Calhoun, Eaton, Kalamazoo, Mecosta, and Osceola Counties. It is unclear when services will be restored to the remaining counties. Original article posted below.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A multi-county outage is preventing 911 operators across Michigan from receiving phone calls.
As of 3 a.m. Friday morning, authorities said the incident was only affecting voice calls; text messaging services were not being affected, according to a release from Kalamazoo County Consolidated Dispatch Authority. Dispatchers advise anyone needing help in an emergency to text to 911 with their address in the body of the message.
Among the counties being affected are Barry, Battle Creek, Calhoun, Eaton, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Mecosta, Montcalm, and Osceola. Dispatchers in Kent County also said their services are limited.
Non-emergency phone numbers are taking calls until the situation is resolved.
- Barry County: (269) 948-4800, dial option 1 for dispatch
- Battle Creek: (269) 781-0912
- Calhoun County: (269) 781-0912
- Eaton County: (517) 543-3510
- Ionia County: (616) 527-0400
- Grand Rapids Police: (616) 456-3400
- Kalamazoo County: (269) 488-8911
- Kent County: (616) 632-6357
- Mecosta County: (231) 796-4811
- Montcalm County: (989 831-3500
- Osceola County: (231) 832-3255
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety and Battle Creek Police said they would have patrols throughout the two cities while the system is being restored.
Officials in Eaton County said 911 centers were performing a software update overnight when some sort of issue occurred, while Michigan EMS posted a message to their Facebook page saying that it was due to a fiber optic update that failed.
Michigan State Police are working on resolving the situation and that it is mostly affecting counties in the northern half of Michigan's lower peninsula, according to the Grand Rapids Police Department.
