As Hurricane Ike Threatens South Texas, Residents Urged To Prepare Emergency Communications Plans

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — With Hurricane Ike threatening South Texas, Verizon Wireless urges residents to have their emergency communications plans in place. The company offers the following 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.

Forecasters predict Ike will regain strength and expect the storm to make landfall in Texas this weekend. Once the storm begins to impact the region, Verizon Wireless urges these additional tips:

• 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 reasons as above.
• Check weather and news reports available on wireless phone applications when commercial power is out.

"Preparation and communication are key in weather-related emergencies," said Luis Cruz, region president for Verizon Wireless. "We prepare our network all year to be ready for storms and other emergencies, and we encourage residents along the coast to take steps to prepare for Ike as well."

(Editor's Note: To accompany a Verizon Wireless Test Man, tour a network facility or obtain broadcast-quality video B-Roll and still images of network operations/emergency preparations, contact Audrey Lundy at 972-444-5516).

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless operates the nation's most reliable wireless voice and data network, serving 68.7 million customers. Headquartered in Basking Ridge, N.J., with 70,000 employees nationwide, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). For more information, go to: www.verizonwireless.com. To preview and request broadcast-quality video and high-resolution stills of Verizon Wireless operations, log on to the Verizon Wireless Multimedia Library at www.verizonwireless.com/multimedia.

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