Power outage knocks Houston 911 call center offline for several hours

by | Jul 4, 2021 | Comm Center News

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Houston Emergency Center, 5320 N. Shepherd Drive. When callers use a cell phone to call 911, there is a good chance that the wireless carrier's technology can't accurately pinpoint the location. Texas is among six states being monitored by the FCC to determine the accuracy of wireless location services and for enhanced 9-1-1, a service that shows dispatchers the number and location of a cell or landline cell. ID: Outside the Houston Emergency Center. Wednesday September 3, 2014 (Craig H. Hartley/For the Chronicle)

A power outage knocked Houston’s 911 system offline for several hours Saturday afternoon, officials said.

The incident began when the Houston Emergency Center lost power mid-day Saturday, Houston Fire Chief Sam Peña said. Generators restored power, but when the regular power came back on, a technical malfunction prevented the call center from restoring power to its computer aided dispatch system, he said…