Verizon Increases Support for California Firefighters, Evacuees Relying on Verizon's Wireless and Wired Networks
Verizon has increased its support for firefighters in the field and
evacuees at shelters in Los Angeles County to help them stay connected
during the wildfires that currently engulf more than 40,000 acres.
Verizon is providing additional wired phones, wireless
broadband modems and mobile phones to help firefighters coordinate
their attacks on the wildfires in the Angeles National Forest and the
San Jacinto Mountains.
To date, Verizon has deployed -- for firefighters, first
responders and evacuees, at no cost -- 130 cellphones, 55 Mobile
Broadband cards for Internet access and two high-speed Internet
connections.
In addition, the Verizon Foundation has contributed an
additional $5,000, for a total of $10,000, to the Greater Los Angeles
Chapter of the American Red Cross to further its relief efforts for the wildfire evacuees.
Keeping Customers Connected
Verizon technicians are poised to enter the affected areas after
receiving safety clearance from fire officials, and, if necessary,
repair any damage to its networks. Meanwhile, Verizon Wireless
technicians have ensured sufficient capacity in area cell sites to keep customers connected as mandatory evacuations of residential and
commercial neighborhoods generate spikes in call volume. Backup
batteries and generators have powered several wired sites during
intermittent commercial power interruptions caused by the fires.
Support for Emergency Responders
The details of Verizon's support are:
STATION FIRE
- Fifteen wireless handsets and three Mobile Broadband cards to the American Red Cross Greater Los Angeles Chapter.
- Ten wireless handsets to the American Red Cross San Gabriel Pomona Valley Chapter.
- Twenty wireless handsets and five Mobile Broadband cards to the Hansen Dam Support Center.
- Deployed 15 wireless handsets and three Mobile Broadband cards for the California Incident Management Team.
- Deployed two laptop computers, 20 wireless handsets and 10 Mobile Broadband cards for the La Canada High School Evacuee Center.
- Twenty-five wired phone connections and two High Speed Internet connections.
COTTONWOOD FIRE
- Four Mobile Broadband cards for the San Bernardino
National Forest command center and 25 wireless handsets, Mobile
Broadband cards and 30 wired phone connections for the California
Incident Management team at the Cottonwood fire in the San Jacinto
Mountains.
MORRIS CANYON FIRE
- Twenty-five wireless phones, 15 Mobile Broadband cards
and nine wired phone connections for the firefighters' command center
for the Morris Fire in San Gabriel Canyon.
Support for Evacuees
Verizon home phone customers who have left their home because of the wildfires can stay in touch with friends and family by forwarding their calls to another number at no charge. Home customers who want to set up call forwarding should call Verizon at 1-800-483-1000; business customers should call 1-800-483-2000.
"Verizon's wired network exceeds 99.9 percent
reliability, and we want our customers to know they can count on us to
keep them connected anytime, especially during a crisis," said Margaret Serjak, vice president of Verizon's California operations.
Luis Cruz, Verizon Wireless regional president, said,
"The devastation caused by these wildfires is heartbreaking. It's
affecting our customers, communities and employees. We are committed to making a difference for those who've been affected by these fires."