Tips: Emergency Communication

Verizon Wireless offers residents living in hurricane-prone areas emergency communication tips.

  • 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.
  • Keep phones, batteries, chargers and other equipment in a dry, accessible location.
  • Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers -- police, fire, and rescue agencies; power companies; insurance providers; family, friends and co-workers; etc. -- and program them into your phone.
  • Distribute wireless phone numbers to family members and friends.
  • Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number if you will be away from your home or have to evacuate.

“We’ve seen that preparation is key in emergency situations, and we want to help residents communicate and stay safe before, during and after storms,” said Pam Tope, Florida region president for Verizon Wireless. “We’re confident we will again provide stand-out reliability with the great work of our test teams, all of our staff and company-wide preparation.”

The company also urges 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 TXT messages rather than voice calls for the same reasons as above.
  • Check weather and news reports available on wireless phone applications when power is out.

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