The sirens are used to indicate extreme weather, such as tornados or other emergency situations. After officials concluded that there was no emergency situation, they began to disable the sirens. This was more difficult than anticipated, and the entire emergency notification system had to be shut down. Although Dallas officials would not reveal the specifics of the hack — due to fear of repeat attacks — they did reveal that the radio system was hacked, which means that it was not related to a software vulnerability.

Read More: What Are Smart Cities, and Are They Safer?

Who Hacked the Emergency System?

In order to sound all of the alarms at once, the hacker would have had to have been in the Dallas area. The hacker is still unknown, but it is believed that the hacker is a local, and that the sounding of the alarms may have been a prank.

The siren hack could also be a chance to discredit Dallas’ emergency notification system — if false alarms are likely to go off, then will locals respond accordingly in the event of a true emergency? Many Dallas locals treated the sounding of the sirens as a joke on social media, while others frantically called 911 to ask if there had been a terrorist attack.

Response to Dallas Siren Hack

In responding to the Dallas siren hack, officials stated that they were planning on upgrading the city’s infrastructure tech and security, to prevent future attacks. They also contacted the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for assistance in securing their emergency system.

Smart cities are more convenient and efficient, but they are also more susceptible to hacking. Other cities should take note of this incident in Dallas, and take measures to upgrade the security of their tech infrastructure. Attacks on tech infrastructure are increasing: roughly 300 attacks were reported in 2015. Hacking incidents like this are likely to further increase this year, which means that our cybersecurity efforts should increase, too.  

Other Issues with Dallas’ Emergency Systems

Last year, a hacker compromised Dallas traffic signs as a prank, and altered the signs to silly messages such as “Work is Canceled — Go Back Home.” More recently, Dallas has experienced issues with its 911 system. Locals have been experiencing prolonged wait times for emergency calls, often waiting more than 25 minutes.

First Aid by Red Cross
It’s hard to keep a cool head in a heated situation. With this app, you will be able to learn what moves to make in the midst of a disastrous crisis. Allergies, asthma attacks, bleeding, broken bones, and burns are just a few of the travesties that this app can walk you through. There are tutorial and instructional videos, FAQs, diagrams, and other tidbits for you to study. They also include a big red 911 button that you can use to automatically call your local precinct.

Read More: How to Prevent Security Cameras From Being Hacked

ICE Standard
ICE (In Case of Emergency) Standard provides a shortcut on your unlock screen that links to your emergency contacts. This allows first responders to have access to your vital information in the rare event that you are incapacitated upon their arrival. The information includes your contacts, medical conditions, age, and blood type. The shortcut on your unlock screen enables the first responders to access your information without using your password to unlock your phone.

Patronus
This app utilizes your GPS to alert dispatchers of your whereabouts during a crisis. There is an “on my way” feature that shows how close the dispatchers are to your location. Patronus automatically forwards your address and coordinates to the first responders when you dial 911.

FEMA
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is a governmental bureaucracy that coordinates responses to large disasters that occur throughout the United States. If you live in a location that is prone to mother nature mishaps, then this app will be extremely helpful for you. It provides valuable information in case you are ever caught in the midst of a tornado, flood, earthquake, or other natural disaster. It can also locate any local safety shelters that provide safety for natural disasters.

Droid Light
You’ll never know when you’ll need to shine some light on the situation. Sometimes the light of your home screen just doesn’t suffice, and you need something brighter. Luckily, the Droid Light uses your camera’s flash as an LED flashlight that will save you in times of darkness.

Thanks to Emergency Location Services, you no longer have to know your exact location to save your life. With the combination of cell tower data, Wi-Fi, and GPS, your phone can automatically communicate to 911 your precise location. The technology works in both indoor and outdoor locations.

Read More: Security Concerns Can Arise While Using Snapchat

According to the Emergency Location Services Project Manager Akshay Kannan, this technology is already theoretically available on over 99% of smartphones. Moreover, you don’t even have to click a button to install it. Thanks to Google Play Services, the software has been automatically distributed to any Android that is running above Android system 2.3.

On the other hand, there is one limitation. In order for this software to work, there needs to be an emergency infrastructure provider. Because of this requirement, the technology is only available within the borders of the United States. However, Android is working hard to get this technology available globally.

This limitation can also affect you if your local EMS station isn’t compatible with an emergency infrastructure provider. Be sure to stop by your local EMS station or give them a call (not at 911) to ensure this technology is available for you.

So, thanks to this new technology, you can safely wander your campus without stressing over your location. Should a traumatic event happen, you should already be armed with the latest technology that can save your life and others.