Lightning Strike Damage to 911 System Costs $250K to Repair

Taxpayers will be picking up the cost for repairs to the Syracuse, N.Y., area’s 911 emergency communications center after it was knocked out by a lightning strike last summer.

Onondaga County officials tell the Post-Standard of Syracuse that damage caused by an “act of God” is excluded from the building’s insurance policy, so taxpayers will wind up paying the $250,000 bill for the repairs. The county has already paid $232,000 to replace communications equipment knocked out by the lightning.

A lightning strike early on the morning of July 26 zapped the communication center’s equipment, despite the facility’s extensive grounding system.

The backup 911 system was up and running about 20 minutes later. The main 911 center didn’t resume service until the following afternoon.