NYC 911 System Glitch Disrupts Nearly 1,700 Emergency Calls

NEW YORK, Aug. 19, 2026 — A major disruption in New York City’s 911 system affected nearly 1,700 emergency calls Tuesday morning, leaving hundreds of residents potentially unable to reach an emergency operator for several hours.

The outage began at around 3:13 a.m. on August 18 and lasted until shortly after 10 a.m., according to city officials. The problem originated at Public Safety Answering Center II, or PSAC II, in the Bronx, one of the city’s two primary 911 call centers. New York City’s other emergency call center in Brooklyn was not affected.

City officials said about 1,700 calls were impacted during the disruption, and as many as 400 New Yorkers may have been unable to connect with a 911 call taker. In some cases, calls reached the system but operators were unable to hear the person on the other end.

A total of 5,659 calls requesting NYPD, FDNY or emergency medical services were received by the city’s 911 system during the roughly seven-hour period.

“The issue has since been resolved, and PSAC II is running normally,” City Hall spokesperson Jeremy Edwards said in a statement. He said all 911 calls have been successfully connected to and handled by call takers since 10:19 a.m. Tuesday.

City officials conducted intensive testing of the system overnight and said call delivery, traffic paths and call volume are now being monitored around the clock in coordination with technical providers.

The exact cause of the failure remains under investigation. Sources familiar with the incident pointed to a possible software problem, while officials said there was no indication the disruption was caused by a malicious cyberattack.

New York City has spent years modernizing its emergency communications infrastructure. An overhaul of the city’s 911 system began in 2004, but the project later faced repeated delays, management problems and significant cost overruns. A 2015 investigation by the city’s Department of Investigation found that costs associated with the project had climbed above $2 billion.

City Hall said Wednesday that officials are continuing to examine what caused the outage and are working to make sure people affected by the disruption receive appropriate follow-up.

“Our investigation into the circumstances of this incident is ongoing,” Edwards said. “We are focused on understanding exactly what happened, ensuring that affected callers receive the appropriate follow-up and taking all necessary steps to prevent this from happening again.”