Ocala, FL – Residents across Marion County are being urged to text 911 for help today after a major phone system failure knocked out all emergency and non-emergency lines, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the agency, the outage was reported early Wednesday morning and affects every 911 call center in the county, leaving no ability for dispatchers to receive voice calls. Officials emphasized that texting 911 is currently the only way for residents to reach emergency services.
The sheriff’s office said the cause of the outage has not yet been released, and technicians are working to restore full phone capability. The disruption is impacting the entire county, including Ocala, Dunnellon, Silver Springs, Belleview, and unincorporated areas throughout Marion County in north-central Florida.
Authorities reiterated that residents should not attempt to call 911 at this time, as calls will not go through. Instead, anyone needing law enforcement, fire, or medical assistance must send a text message to 911 with their location and a brief description of the emergency.
Local officials said additional updates will be shared as soon as repairs progress. Neighboring counties and state agencies have been notified, and emergency managers are monitoring the situation closely in case additional resources are needed.
For now, residents are encouraged to keep phones charged, ensure their GPS is active when texting 911, and check official county pages for updates throughout the day. The sheriff’s office will release more details as soon as service restoration timelines become available.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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