Major 911 Outages Hit Louisiana and Mississippi Amid Fiber Cable Damage

BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana and Mississippi are facing serious 911 outages due to damaged fiber cables, state officials reported. The disruptions affect several parishes in Louisiana and impact the state’s largest cities, along with multiple counties in Mississippi, including the capital city of Jackson.

A severed fiber cable caused the outages, which officials say has a regional effect. Scott Simmons, director of external affairs at Mississippi’s emergency management department, stated that officials are collaborating with AT&T to assess the outages’ extent. Residents are encouraged to use alternative numbers while 911 services are restored.

Local jurisdictions have been proactive in guiding residents on how to contact emergency services. For instance, authorities in Tangipahoa Parish assured that calls to 911 will still be logged, and individuals will receive a follow-up call from regular numbers if they encounter busy signals.

In Fulton County, Illinois, similar 911 service disruptions prompted local authorities to advise residents to reach out to the Canton Police Department’s non-emergency line. The outage there has lasted at least an hour, leading officials to warn of potential wait times until services resume.

In Louisiana, impacted areas include Jefferson and Tangipahoa parishes, as well as Baton Rouge and Shreveport. Those needing assistance from Acadian Ambulance in Louisiana and Mississippi are advised to call designated local numbers.

This is a developing story, and updates are expected as more information becomes available.