Plymouth County, IA – Residents in parts of northwest Iowa are being warned about a broad 911 outage today affecting calls from certain landlines and some cell providers, leading to busy signals for those attempting to reach emergency services.
According to the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office, multiple counties across the region are experiencing related issues, and the cause of the outage has not yet been publicly confirmed. The department said callers attempting to reach 911 may receive a busy signal rather than connecting with dispatchers, creating a significant challenge for anyone needing immediate assistance.
Officials urge residents who cannot reach 911 to instead call the Plymouth County non-emergency line at 712-546-8191. While that number is not designed for life-threatening situations, deputies emphasized it will connect callers with local authorities who can dispatch help as needed while outage repairs continue.
The outage appears to impact a mix of communication providers, and early indications suggest it is not limited to a single city. Plymouth County, surrounding rural communities, and other counties in northwest Iowa have all reported ongoing issues. Emergency managers are advising residents to test alternative phones if possible and to alert neighbors—particularly elderly residents who rely on landlines—about the temporary communication disruption.
As of this afternoon, no estimated restoration time has been released. Officials said updates will be posted on local sheriff and emergency management social media channels as more information becomes available.
Residents who successfully reach 911 are asked to stay on the line, even if there is a delay, and avoid multiple redial attempts that may further strain the system.
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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