The Riley County Emergency Management Agency is hoping to resolve a radio communications outage after Monday's cybersecurity incident prompted an emergency disaster declaration.
The FBI and local law enforcement are investigating the incident, which forced local emergency personnel to use the backup state radio communications system.
The county commission's disaster declaration allowed the county to receive state funds. The Kansas Department of Emergency Management deployed a Communications on Wheels semi-trailer to Riley County Monday night. COW increases and improves wireless signal strength in the central part of the country, including the city of Manhattan.
“We are grateful for our partnership with the Kansas Department of Emergency Management,” Riley County Emergency Management Director Russell Stukey said in a written statement. “The state was quick to provide resources to support local emergency services. With their help, we were able to respond to the emergency and protect our communities effectively and efficiently until replacement equipment arrived. You can continue.”
The county has ordered replacement equipment for components of the wireless communications system and expects to receive and install the equipment by the end of next week.
Until then, firefighters, police officers and emergency medical workers will continue to rely on backup systems.
“We are working to replace equipment as quickly as possible,” Stukey said. “While there are no guarantees regarding schedules, we thankfully do not anticipate any service interruptions.”
The cybersecurity incident has not affected the ability of 911 dispatchers to receive calls, dispatch personnel, communicate with emergency responders and activate outdoor warning sirens until replacement equipment is ready.
No personal, financial or other information is associated with this case. Steukey said the only information on the affected wireless servers is radio ID numbers, frequencies and other radio data. This system is part of its own network and is not associated with the county's regular Internet network, which includes the county's email server.
