COVID-19 makes preparations for hurricane season even more critical
May 26 2020 - 12:00PM
With first responders and healthcare workers deeply engaged in the
COVID-19 response, restrictions on transportation, enterprise
operations and personal mobility still in place in many
communities, and usage on communications networks up dramatically,
this year’s preparations for hurricane season are more important
than ever.
“In crisis situations, communication is critical. We have
experienced it most recently with COVID-19 when a spike in volume
on our network demonstrated the importance of connecting with
critical resources, colleagues, friends and family,” said Kyle
Malady, Chief Technology Officer for Verizon. “Reliability is in
our DNA and we prepare all year long for disasters. The strength,
reliability and strong performance of our network has been very
evident to our customers during the COVID-19 pandemic and our teams
are heading into hurricane season with the same tireless dedication
and commitment to reliable communications.”
Verizon is ready:
Verizon has made preparations to ensure the network is ready for
storm season.
- Support for first responders: More public
safety professionals rely on Verizon than any other network.
During times of crisis, we provide network priority and preemption
for first responders at no cost to public safety agencies. This
gives first responders access to the network when they need
it. Additionally, when disaster strikes, the Verizon Response
Team (VRT) is available 24/7 365 days a year to coordinate with
first responders to provide essential technologies during a crisis.
During storms, the VRT will mobilize charging stations, devices,
special equipment, emergency vehicles and more to support local,
state and federal agencies across the US.
- COVID-19 considerations: This year, we
have worked to ensure that we have the necessary personal equipment
and processes in place for our field teams who may have to enter
highly populated areas like shelters or operations centers. We have
virtualized many command center functions to make it easier for our
engineers working on network repairs and deploying mobile assets to
remain socially distanced. We have also arranged for individual
portable housing units for mission critical network engineers in
the field
- Redundancy Equals Reliability/Backups to the
Backups: We use different strategies including backup
generators and HVAC systems and redundant fiber rings for cell
sites and switching centers to keep the network running and
customers connected when commercial power is lost or water damage
occurs
- Refueling strategy: We pre-arrange fuel
deliveries for our generators in case of a storm, with tankers
poised and in position to quickly respond to hard-hit areas in the
event commercial power is lost
- Year-round preparation: We run Emergency
Operation Center drills throughout the year to ensure our team is
ready and equipped to respond to emergencies
- Support for the community: We have mobile
Wireless Emergency Communications Centers, Tactical Command
Trailers, and Response Trailers ready to deploy to support first
responders and community members with recovery efforts
- Use of drones: We have surveillance drones on
standby to help assess and respond to damage from a storm, and we
have drones that can deliver wireless service to a designated area
from the sky
- Satellite assets: We have a fleet of new
satellite-equipped portable cell sites and have secured dedicated
satellite links for connection. If fiber or microwave is damaged
due to sustained winds, storm surge or manual fiber cuts during
post-storm recovery work, satellite-enabled portable equipment and
dedicated satellite links, along with the fleet of portable
generators keep the network running without commercial power
- Comprehensive fleet management: In the run up
to and during a storm, it’s critical for mobile businesses to know
where their people, assets and vehicles are. The Verizon Connect
fleet management platform provides greater visibility and
situational awareness to help move people and assets out of harm’s
way and plan a more coordinated return to business once the storm
clears
How you can prepare: Do you have a personal
communications plan? The beginning of hurricane
season is a great time to ensure you are ready for the season too.
In an environment where COVID-19 remains a real concern, we may see
more sheltering in place instead of evacuations this year, making
communication even more critical.
We encourage you to take these steps to ensure your loved ones
are ready to communicate during a storm.
Device preparation:
- Ensure all battery-powered devices are fully charged before the
storm hits. This includes wireless phones and smartphones, laptops,
tablets, flashlights and radios
- Wireless devices can be a key source of information and
communication in the event of an emergency, so be sure to keep
phones, tablets, laptops, batteries, chargers and other equipment
in dry, accessible locations like re-sealable plastic bags, dry
bags or waterproof cases
- In case of evacuation, make sure you know where your chargers
are, both wall and vehicle charging cords, and have portable device
chargers fully charged and next to your device
Know and back up your info:
- Maintain a list of emergency phone numbers and email addresses,
including police, fire and rescue agencies; power companies;
insurance providers; and family, friends and co-workers.
Program them into your phone, smartphone, tablet or laptop and also
have a hard copy handy, someplace easily accessible
- Backup your information on Verizon Cloud - Verizon offers
backup assistance through the Verizon Cloud to store your phone’s
address book and contact information as well as pictures and other
content on a secure server
- Record video/take photos of your possessions in your residence
before severe weather hits
Bookmark resources:
- Download weather applications and alerts that provide users
with a variety of information such as radar images, forecasts and
severe storm warnings
- Program your smartphone to receive emergency alerts. Wireless
Emergency Alerts (WEAs) are free wireless notifications that are
delivered to your mobile device by local/national public safety
organizations
- Also in case of evacuation, bookmark your emergency resources
on your phone so you can research any special restrictions,
limitations or instructions if you need emergency shelter, medical
care or other support that may be impacted by COVID-19.
How businesses and government organizations can prepare
and stay connectedBusinesses and governments know the
importance of hurricane preparedness. This year, with so much of
the workforce working remotely, contingency planning is even more
critical. We offer customers products and services that can help
disaster-proof communications and enable business continuity.
It’s also a good time to review readiness plans. Suggested steps
for businesses and government organizations include:
- Make sure you have contact information updated and readily
available for all employees
- Make copies of insurance documents, review insurance coverages
and update as appropriate
- Ensure employees working from home have documented all
corporate equipment being used to work from home in case of damage
or loss
- Ensure you have a backup plan to shift work in case
work-from-home employees in a storm-impacted area have to evacuate
their home or their home loses commercial power
This storm season is predicted to be an active one, and Verizon
is crisis-ready and crisis-proven.
**Editor’s Note: To access images
and b-roll of past storms, Verizon equipment, recovery efforts and
more, please visit Verizon’s Emergency Resource Hub
at https://www.verizon.com/about/news/emergency-resource-center
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on
June 30, 2000 and is celebrating its 20th year as one of the
world’s leading providers of communications, information and
entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City
and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated
revenues of $130.9 billion in 2018. The
company offers voice, data and video services and solutions on
its award winning networks and
platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for
mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and
control.
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Media contact:Karen Schulz864.561.1527
Karen.Schulz@verizon.com
Kate Jay678.339.4828Kate.Jay@Verizon.com
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