Hacker Breaks Into Maryland Emergency Communications System

Dec. 1, 2005
Prince George's County officials say someone has broken into the county's emergency communications system and has transmitted bogus information to crews.

Prince George's County officials say someone has broken into the county's emergency communications system and has transmitted bogus information to emergency crews.

Authorities said one incident happened early Friday morning after Company 9, in Bladensburg, Md., was dispatched on a call. Officials said a voice came over the radio saying "hold nine, return the rest."

Fire department spokesman Mark Brady told News4 , "It's a standard radio transmission made by an incident commander indicating to hold fire station 9 units and return all the other units, and on this particular incident it was a full box alarm consisting of seven different stations."

Fire Chief Randy Kuenzli figured it out and immediately advised units over his radio that it was an illegal radio transmission.

Fire officials said there is only one recording of the incident so far, but firefighters at Station 9 said it's happened three other times.

Also in the last couple of weeks, officials believe this same man gave an ambulance crew responding to an emergency some false information.

Vernon Herron with the Prince George's County Department of Homeland Security told News4 , "I really don't want to go into how it's done, because I don't want to encourage somebody else out there to do something this stupid."

Herron said if anyone knows who is doing this to contact authorities in Prince George's County right away.

Copyright 2005 by nbc4.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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