Fire Puts Backup 911 Line in Action

The city’s main 911 emergency telephone system was returned to service Sunday after a backup system was forced into use Saturday when sprinklers flooded a communications room, police said.

There was no interruption in service because the backup system kicked in immediately and flawlessly, said Los Angeles Police Cmdr. David Kalish.

The incident was caused by a fire at 2:50 p.m. two floors underground in City Hall East. The flames activated the sprinkler system, which extinguished the fire but flooded the communications room.

The backup system took over, bypassing the dispatch center and routing calls to individual police stations, Kalish said. “There was no threat to public safety; no 911 calls were lost.”