Clark County residents faced delayed flights, slower 911 service and other disruptions Friday morning as local business and service providers scrambled to deal with a global software outage.
The disruptions began when cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike pushed out a faulty update for Microsoft Windows clients, according to the Associated Press. The impacts were far-reaching. Both CrowdStrike and Microsoft identified the issue but said mid-day that they were still working to get systems back online.
The Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency dispatch center had to switch to manual operations starting at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. As of 1 a.m. Friday, all services were restored, CRESA Director Dave Fuller said.
Fuller said the agency was still able to receive and handle calls during those hours, but without access to the full system, dispatchers processed calls at a slower pace.
The outage also had an impact on a number of terminals the dispatch center uses to communicate with local emergency response agencies, along with some phone workstations, he said.
The outage also impacted Northwest hospitals, including PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, as of Friday morning. A statement from the hospital did not offer specifics about how the hospital was affected but said staff was working to restore services.
The statement promised updates throughout the day.
“PeaceHealth actively prepares for contingencies and is able to maintain critical patient care and access,” the hospital statement said. “We recognize the important role we serve in our communities and prioritize our ability to meet that need.”
As of Friday morning, 41 flights arriving at Portland International Airport were delayed and 15 were canceled. Another 28 departing flights were delayaed with 16 canceled outright. The outage affected certain airlines, and statuses changed throughout the day. Airport officials recommended people continue to check in with airlines throughout the day Friday before heading to the airport.
