Press Release Source: Verizon Wireless On Tuesday May 31, 2011, 8:30 am EDT
ALPHARETTA, Ga., May 31, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- With the 2011 Hurricane Season officially set to begin tomorrow (June 1), Georgians should be preparing an emergency communication plan to keep their families safe and in touch.
Verizon Wireless, the nation's largest wireless carrier, offers these tips for storm season:
Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other equipment in a dry, accessible location. Consider waterproof accessories or simple zip-lock storage bags to protect devices.
Keep wireless phone batteries fully charged – in case local power is lost – well before warnings are issued.
Have additional charged batteries and car-charger adapters available for back-up power.
Maintain a list of emergency numbers – police and fire agencies; power and insurance companies; family, friends and co-workers; etc. – and program them into your phone.
Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends.
Download from a wide variety of weather- and safety-related applications for smartphones, tablets and other devices. Many of these apps are free.
Use a service such as Backup Assistant, the free Verizon Wireless application that stores a phone's address book on a secure server in case the phone is lost or damaged.
Verizon Wireless also suggests the following actions once a storm is on the way:
Limit non-emergency calls to conserve battery power and free-up wireless networks for emergency agencies and operations. Send brief text messages rather than voice calls for the same reason.
Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number if you evacuate.
Check weather and news reports on wireless phone applications when power is out.
"We already have seen this spring what severe weather can do right here in Georgia," says Jeff Mango, president of Verizon Wireless' Georgia/Alabama Region. "We know that preparation, and the earlier the better, is important in staying safe and keeping the lines of communication with loved ones and emergency responders open."
Verizon Wireless, which operates the nation's fastest 4G network and largest and most reliable 3G network, has made numerous network enhancements over the past year. These include launching its most advanced 4G LTE (Long-Term Evolution) services in the Atlanta and Athens markets. Additionally, over the course of 2010 new cell towers and/or other network enhancements worth more than $190 million were activated in 279 Georgia cities. These initiatives are part of a network investment in Georgia totaling more than $1.8 billion since the company was formed in 2000. Nationally, the company has invested more than $65 billion to increase the coverage and capacity of its premier nationwide network, and to add new services.
In the aftermath of even the most devastating weather, the Verizon Wireless network in Georgia has remained strong while many other wireless communication networks struggled to serve emergency response officials and residents. Verizon Wireless' storm preparation includes:
Verizon Wireless is fully prepared to set up Wireless Emergency Communication Centers (WECCs) to serve residents and rescue agencies in the area(s) in the greatest need.
The company also has a fleet of Cells on Wheels (COWS) and Cells on Light Trucks (COLTS), and generators on trailers (GOaTS) that can be rolled into hard-hit locations.
Verizon Wireless pre-arranges fuel delivery to mobile units and generators to keep the network operating at full strength even if power is lost for an extended period of time.
Installation of advanced in-building systems to boost wireless coverage and services at hospitals, government and emergency facilities, high-traffic public venues and other locations throughout Georgia.
Verizon Wireless has a Communications Store on wheels ready to roll. The 35-foot trailer allows Verizon Wireless to maintain retail operations in areas when company stores are not able to open or when retail services are needed in areas where natural disaster strikes, enabling customers to purchase the wireless phones and accessories they need.
