Generator Malfunction Led to DPS Phone Outage During Last Month’s Campus Blackout
DPS phone lines went out during the power outage in late August when a generator in Pennsylvania Hall failed. (Photo Nicole DeJacimo/The Gettysburgian).
By Phoebe Doscher, News Editor
Gettysburg College experienced a campus-wide power outage Thursday, August 22, causing the Department of Public Service (DPS) phone line system to fail.
Although the generator in the DPS building was working over the course of the two hour long outage, a separate generator in Pennsylvania Hall failed during that time, according to Executive Director of Public Safety Bill Lafferty.
Subsequently, the phone lines went out and the Gettysburg College community received two DPS numbers to be reached for non-emergencies.
“This is the first time we experienced a DPS phone failure in the 18 years that I have been at Gettysburg,” Lafferty said.
Lafferty also noted that Facilities Services is aware of the generator malfunction and “will make the necessary corrections.”
In the event that the phone lines fail again, the contingency plan set in place includes sending cell phone numbers to reach DPS for non-emergencies — as provided during the August outage — and reminding those on the emergency messaging system to call 911 in the case of an emergency.
