Emergency personnel adjusting to phone outage

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Crews said they are working around the clock to fix the problem but in the meantime everyone, including emergency personnel, is trying to adjust.

Frontier Communications General Manager Dave Sorg said around 9 o'clock Friday morning construction crews working on the new Yeager Road and Cumberland Avenue roundabout accidentally pulled around 200 feet of fiber out of the ground, cutting the fiber cables in the process.

Damage to the fiber cables led to a massive landline and internet outage, posing new problems for emergency personnel.

"We got a double whammy when we lost both landline as well as cell phone service so instantly you're not getting that communication from people," West Lafayette Police Lieutenant  Bill Gallagher said.

Although people couldn't contact the non-emergency line, Gallagher said police were still able to respond to emergencies.

"We did have 911 service which assisted us for emergencies but it didn't assist us in terms of the regular calls. So 911 calls actually somewhat increased but others decreased and we're still having the issue today," Gallagher said.

A day Gallagher said is busy because of thousands traveling to Purdue's campus for the football game.

He said WLPD has increased patrols the last couple of days because of the game and that increase is also helping keep an extra eye out for people in distress that might not be near a working phone.

Lt. Gallagher said all emergency personnel are adapting to the situation.

"With the use of the cell phones not being there, the loss of that technology obviously is going to be a hindrance, but it's something we didn't have years ago so you just revert back to what you know how to do and you do it to the best of your ability," Gallagher said.

Purdue student Katie Derek said without her phone she is concerned about what she should do if she has an emergency.

"I couldn't get ahold of my mom all day yesterday. I had to use my friend's phone. I mean if I was in a car accident I wouldn't be able to call my mom," Derek said.

Derek said she hopes the phone lines get fixed soon a feeling shared by many.

"Loss of the technology that we are so used to, while initially it comes as a shock, fairly quickly we're able to adapt and overcome to that and once it comes back  we'll be happy to have it," Gallagher said.

If you are still without phone service Lt. Gallagher suggests getting a used cell phone that does have service or a pay as you go phone to use as a back up to landlines in case of an emergency.