A fire at the local telephone headquarters knocked out internet, telephone, cellular and banking services in Newfoundland and Labrador last Friday night.
The official time is being given as 22:20 hours (10:20 pm) but your humble e-scribbler had it pegged earlier, like say around 22:05. That's when he noticed downloads slowing.
The whole incident points up some problems that need to be addressed.
For example, the back-up systems didn't cut in and it took the service provider about six hours to get most functionality restored.
That shouldn't happen.
For a second example, consider that provincial emergency management boss Fred Hollett was in Port aux Basques on the province's west coast and had to dial 911 from his hotel room to get police headquarters in Corner Brook.
Why couldn't he just go to the local emergency headquarters, like say the fire department, and contact the outside world from their comms system?
For a third f'rinstance, Aliant isn't the only service provider. Did their problem effectively take everyone else out as well?
If the answer is yes, then Al Queda will take note, let alone the local chapter of the Fogo Liberation Front.
All of this will no doubt distract Hollett from another glaring shortcoming of his emergency response system: the complete lack of a province-wide emergency response strategic plan.
So far that one has taken the five years since 9/11 and counting.
Still no plan.