OCEAN CITY, MD - The Ocean City Fire Department has reported issues with city-wide fire alarm systems possibly in relation to Friday’s global cybersecurity software outage.
According to the Fire Department, numerous buildings in Ocean City are protected by fire alarm systems that automatically contact the fire department via phone line upon detection of a fire. While the systems’ alarm system detectors and audio or visual alerts such as horns and strobes don’t seem to be affected, the Fire Department says the system’s ability to automatically contact them may temporarily be down.
The Fire Department says the issues may cause a delay in fire department response.
The announcement comes amid cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike’s faulty update that halted services across global industries, including hospitals, airlines, and media outlets Friday. The Ocean City Fire Department says the outage may be related to the problems with the fire alarm systems.
Ocean City’s Fire Department reminds neighbors to immediately evacuate a building upon fire alarm activation and dial 911 to ensure prompt response from firefighters. Property owners can contact their management company or fire alarm contractor if experiencing issues and reach out to the Fire Marshal’s Office with additional concerns at 410-289-8780.