Chaos as California city declares state of emergency after hackers cripple 911 system

A California city pulled the plug on its entire computer network after a cyberattack knocked out key systems, including 911 routing and police and fire dispatch.

Suisun City declared a state of emergency Saturday after malicious software breached its IT systems at about 5:45 a.m. Friday.

The city’s response was drastic.

Officials shut down the entire network to stop the threat from spreading and protect evidence for a federal investigation.

Despite the digital chaos, Suisun City officials said residents are not facing an immediate danger.

Emergency crews remain on the streets, with city dispatchers routing calls through the Solano County dispatch center.

Police and fire personnel are continuing to respond to calls for service.

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The attack also disrupted city records and other municipal services, leaving online services and internal operations temporarily unavailable.

The Suisun City Council voted unanimously Saturday morning to declare the emergency during an 11 a.m. special meeting.

The declaration, made under Government Code 8630, gives the city faster access to emergency support and allows it to recoup costs connected to the cyberattack.

Officials have also brought in the big guns, working with the FBI, Department of Homeland Security, California Office of Emergency Services and other state and regional agencies.

The city has activated its Emergency Operations Center as investigators work to figure out how the malicious software got inside the network and who was behind it.

So far, officials have not revealed how the breach occurred or identified a suspect.

Suisun City, in Solano County, is located about 45 miles from both San Francisco and Sacramento.

For cybersecurity updates, please visit Suisun.com/CybersecurityUpdates.