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Resident says 911 calls failed during power outage; council says consultants are studying cell-coverage gaps
Summary
A Franklin Park resident told the council he could not reach 911 during a recent brush fire when power was out and the borough said a consultant is collecting data on cellular coverage gaps to pursue vendor solutions.
Ryan McKenna, a Franklin Park resident, told the borough council on March 18 that he and neighbors had trouble getting through to 911 during a brush fire on Wexford Run Road when power went out and Wi‑Fi calling failed.
"We had trouble getting through to 911," McKenna said, giving his address as 2535 Wexford Run Road and identifying the nearby fire at 2518 Wexford Run Road. He thanked the police and other crews for their response and said the interrupted emergency access is a concern for residents who rely on Wi‑Fi calling during outages.
A council member responded that the borough has been surveying gaps in cellular service and that the issue will be added to the list of data points the consultant is collecting. "They're looking for data points, so this is definitely helpful," the council member said.
Why it matters: If residents cannot contact 911 during power outages, emergency response times and coordination can be affected. Council staff said the borough is entering a phase of discussions with vendors to explore options to address coverage and noted that work on identifying gaps is ongoing.
What the council did next: The council accepted McKenna’s comment for the public record and directed staff to add the report to the consultant's data for vendor outreach. No formal policy or funding decision was recorded at the meeting.
The council did not announce a timeline for follow-up; residents were told staff will continue compiling service-gap data and speak with potential vendors to seek technical solutions.
