LANCASTER, S.C. -- Thousands of people in Lancaster County are being urged to get help from a neighbor if they can't dial 911.
Emergency calling there has been hit and miss since Friday night when the local phone company upgraded its phone network.
Comporium Communications switched over its phone network from a Lancaster site to a Rock Hill site. That planned switchover was well-known, and local officials prepared for brief phone outages.
However, since the switchover, phone service has remained sporadic through out the county.
As of Monday morning, some people were still unable to call 911 in an emergency.
"It's a little bit scary," said county firefighter Darren Player.
Player said firefighters are urging people who can't use their home phones to use a cell phone instead.
"If the cell phone won't connect, then they need to do whatever they can do to try to get some help," he said.
People without cell phones are asked to find a neighbor or someone with access to a working phone if they've have an emergency. So far, there have been no major incidents that officials are aware of.
Sheriff's deputies are increasing patrols, and volunteer firefighters are also aware of the problem.
Comporium communications president Glenn McFadden said every available person has been working on the problem around the clock.
"We're meeting every two hours to discuss where we were, and what we can do," he said.
Mcfadden said these issues can pop up from time to time.
Late Monday Comporium Communications said it had fixed the phone problems in Lancaster County and all lines should be working.
However, Comporium will monitor the phones through out the night, and county emergency officials say they will do the same at local 911 centers.
-WSOCTV.com
Emergency calling there has been hit and miss since Friday night when the local phone company upgraded its phone network.
Comporium Communications switched over its phone network from a Lancaster site to a Rock Hill site. That planned switchover was well-known, and local officials prepared for brief phone outages.
However, since the switchover, phone service has remained sporadic through out the county.
As of Monday morning, some people were still unable to call 911 in an emergency.
"It's a little bit scary," said county firefighter Darren Player.
Player said firefighters are urging people who can't use their home phones to use a cell phone instead.
"If the cell phone won't connect, then they need to do whatever they can do to try to get some help," he said.
People without cell phones are asked to find a neighbor or someone with access to a working phone if they've have an emergency. So far, there have been no major incidents that officials are aware of.
Sheriff's deputies are increasing patrols, and volunteer firefighters are also aware of the problem.
Comporium communications president Glenn McFadden said every available person has been working on the problem around the clock.
"We're meeting every two hours to discuss where we were, and what we can do," he said.
Mcfadden said these issues can pop up from time to time.
Late Monday Comporium Communications said it had fixed the phone problems in Lancaster County and all lines should be working.
However, Comporium will monitor the phones through out the night, and county emergency officials say they will do the same at local 911 centers.
-WSOCTV.com
