For the second time in less than a month many Cook County residents found themselves with no phone, Internet, or 911 service.
At approximately midnight, January 19, the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office Dispatch was notified via radio from Grand Portage Casino surveillance that they were unable to contact 911 or the non-emergency Sheriff ’s Office number 218- 387-3030. Upon further testing, it was determined that only the Gunflint area and 663- exchange numbers (Schroeder, Lutsen, Tofte area), were able to call 911, and all other areas of the county couldn’t call 911 or make other landline calls. Cell phone to cell phone calls functioned, but calls to landline phones (and computer hooked up to them) were not working.
“The safety of our residents in Cook County is always paramount and the number one priority of the Sheriff ’s Office,” said Sheriff Pat Eliasen at the time.
Emergency responders staffed fire halls so they could be the link to the Law Enforcement Dispatch and provide emergency services through the county’s ARMER radio system.
Anyone who needed emergency assistance was advised to go to the nearest fire hall where a call could be made to the Cook County Sheriff ’s Office and 911 Dispatch.
First responders or fire personnel with ARMER radios were asked to help neighbors and to use the system only in the event of an emergency.
The outage lasted 19 hours. At 7:15 p.m. the phone service, including 911, had been restored to the county.
“We are very pleased that CenturyLink has repaired the fiber and that 911, and all phone service, is up and running,” said Sheriff Eliasen, adding, “Cook County will continue to push for a longterm solution to address and eradicate these outages.”
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