In the late hours of Thursday, July 18, 2024 an update involving the software “CrowdStrike” led to a significant disruption to the voice over internet (VOIP) call handling system for 9-1-1 calls for police and fire in Edmonton, as well as elsewhere in Alberta. This software issue has since been determined to have affected multiple agencies around the world, including emergency services, airlines, media and financial institutions.
Continuity plans were implemented through the early morning hours by EPS Emergency Communications and Operations Management Branch (ECOMB) and Information Technology staff, and systems were fully restored by 4 a.m. and have been stable since. Staff also worked closely with the City's Emergency Operation Centre, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services and the Alberta Emergency Management Agency on contingency plans for emergency calls in the event the system could not be restored in a timely manner.
During this disruption, police emergency communications handled approximately 146 9-1-1 calls. ECOMB staff used cellular devices to call back dropped 9-1-1 calls, which were still immediately visible to operators despite the communications disruption.
At this time, there is no indication that the incident significantly impacted any call responses or resulted in significant negative outcomes. EPS staff were able to follow up on all emergency calls received overnight.
The scale of this 9-1-1 incident is unprecedented, and EPS is now in the process of evaluating the details and speaking with our service providers to improve the resilience of the 9-1-1 network and to avoid similar incidents in the future.