Cell Phone Service Remains Problematic After Isaias

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — As electric companies continue to chip away at the power outages caused by Tropical Storm Isaias, attention is turning to another problem across the Hudson Valley.

The entire region has experienced cell service issues since Tuesday, including the inability to make phone calls and the loss of internet connection.

"This is an incredible public safety hazard that if not corrected quickly could result in the serious injury or death of our residents," Rockland County Executive Ed Day said Thursday. "Our first responders will not have the opportunity to respond to an emergency if that 9-1-1 call never reaches our dispatch center in the first place."

The problem has been reported by all carriers, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said Friday. "Cell towers from New Jersey into our region sustained major damage and will require service."

Day said as the county's emergency management team has visited the 15 primary sites for its public safety communications system, which provides radio communication to police, fire, EMS, and other emergency responders in Rockland County, they've found troubling conditions at other cell towers.

"Our team has been busting their butts, trekking through deep woods to get to some of these sites, refuel the generators and keep our system operational," he said. “During these maintenance trips they’ve discovered cell towers from major providers with dead backup batteries, generators with no fuel and no teams from these companies even attempting to get them up and running."

He said the Rockland County Executive’s Office has received anecdotal reports of poor service throughout the county and of no cell service at all in portions of North Rockland.

"What’s going on right now with cell service in Rockland and other localities dealing with the aftermath of Isaias is negligent and these companies must take immediate action,” Day said. "This is a complete dereliction of duty on the part of these companies and is completely unacceptable."

In Briarcliff Manor, there were still cell phone dead zones around the village on Thursday. "Our landline phone service was only restored a few hours ago," Village Manager Philip Zegarelli said in his daily online report. "Cell phone service is very spotty but should be enhanced once the cell carriers on the 'Club cell antennae' is restored."