HONOLULU, Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With
hurricanes Madeline and Lester currently tracking toward the
Hawaiian Islands, AT&T* is ready with our disaster response
equipment, and personnel are on standby.
AT&T has started its storm preparedness process as we
closely monitor the storm. The two hurricanes could impact
Hawaii over the next few days.
AT&T is currently topping-off generators at our cell sites with
fuel. The sites are equipped with high-capacity back-up batteries.
We will stage other emergency response equipment in strategic
locations, if needed. Our national reliability center is
monitoring outages for quick action.
AT&T has also improved the network redundancy in storm-prone
areas. It has installed more generators at critical cell towers and
switching facilities, and moved electronics key to network
operations above expected flood levels.
"Customers rely on us, especially during major
storms," said Bob Bass,
president, AT&T Hawaii. "That's why we practice
readiness drills and simulations throughout the year. We do
all we can to have our networks prepared when severe weather
strikes."
The AT&T National Disaster Recovery (NDR) program is one of
the industry's largest and most advanced disaster response
programs. It includes more than 320 technology and equipment
trailers that can be quickly deployed to respond to disasters. The
NDR team works with local AT&T network personnel, regional
emergency operations centers and local response centers to keep
service going until permanent repairs are made.
Just as we prepare our networks and personnel, AT&T
encourages customers to consider the following recommendations in
the wake of the storm.
Customer Tips:
- Keep your mobile phone battery charged. In case of a
power outage, have another way to charge your phone like an extra
battery, car charger or device-charging accessory. Sales tax
holidays are a great time to stock up on cell phone
accessories.
- Consider getting an emergency phone. For example, the
SpareOne Emergency Phone features a flashlight, glow-in-the-dark
keypad, a panic siren and a SOS signal built into the phone. It
also has a Locate & Alert service included with the plan so
that you can alert up to five people you want to notify in an
emergency who will receive your location.
- Keep your mobile devices dry. The biggest threat to your
device during a hurricane is water. Keep it safe from the
elements by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective
covering, like an Otterbox phone cover.
- Have a family communications plan. Choose someone out of
the area as a central contact. Make sure all
family members know who to contact if they get separated. Most
importantly, practice your emergency plan in advance.
- Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail
addresses into your mobile phone. Numbers should include the
police department, fire station and hospital, as well as your
family members.
- Forward your home number to your mobile number in the event
of an evacuation. Call forwarding is based out of the telephone
central office. This means you will get calls from your landline
phone even if your local telephone service is disrupted. If the
central office is not operational, services such as voicemail and
call forwarding may be useful.
- Track the storm and access weather information on your
mobile device. Many homes lose power during severe weather. If
you have a working mobile device with Internet access, you can
watch weather reports through services like AT&T U-verse Live
TV . You can also stay updated with local radar and severe weather
alerts through My-Cast® Weather, if you subscribe to
those services.
- Camera phones provide assistance. If you have a camera
phone, take, store and send photos and video clips of damage to
your insurance company.
- Use location-based technology. Services like
AT&T Navigator and AT&T FamilyMap can help you find
evacuation routes or avoid traffic from downed trees or power
lines. They can also track a family member's wireless device if you
get separated.
- Limit social media activity. Keep social media activity
to a minimum during and after a storm to limit network congestion
and allow for emergency communications to go through.
Small Business Tips:
- Set up a call-forwarding service to a backup location.
Set up a single or multiple hotline number(s) for employees, their
families, customers and partners so they all know about the
business situation and emergency plan.
- Back up data to the Cloud. Routinely back up files to an
off-site location. Services such as Mobile Workplace are great for
small businesses.
- Outline detailed plans for evacuation and
shelter-in-place. Practice these plans (employee training,
etc.). Establish a backup location for your business and meeting
place for all employees.
- Assemble a crisis-management team. Coordinate efforts with
neighboring businesses and building management. Disasters that
affect your suppliers also affect your business. Outline a plan for
supply chain continuity for business needs.
- Consider a back-up cellular network. Services like
AT&T Remote Mobility Zone protect critical communications for
businesses. If a disaster disables primary communications networks,
the back-up cellular network can help you stay connected.
Keeping the lines open for emergencies
During evacuations, the storm event and its aftermath, network
resources will likely be taxed. To help ensure that emergency
personnel have open lines, keep these tips in mind:
- Text messaging. During an emergency situation, text
messages may go through more quickly than voice calls because they
require fewer network resources. All of AT&T's wireless devices
are text messaging capable. Depending on your text or data plan,
additional charges may apply.
- Be prepared for high call volume. During an emergency,
many people are trying to use their phones at the same time. The
increased calling volume may create network congestion, leading to
"fast busy" signals on your wireless phone or a slow dial tone on
your landline phone. If this happens, hang up, wait several seconds
and then try the call again. This allows your original call data to
clear the network before you try again.
- Keep non-emergency calls to a minimum, and limit your
calls to the most important ones. If there is severe weather,
chances are many people will be attempting to place calls to loved
ones, friends and business associates.
Additional information and tips for disaster preparedness can be
found at
www.att.com/vitalconnections.
*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T
brand and not by AT&T Inc.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions around the globe connect
with leading entertainment, mobile, high-speed Internet and voice
services. We're the world's largest provider of pay TV. We have TV
customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries. We offer the
best global coverage of any U.S. wireless provider*. And we help
businesses worldwide serve their customers better with our mobility
and highly secure cloud solutions.
Additional information about AT&T products and services is
available at http://about.att.com. Follow our news on Twitter at
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