Verizon helps families stay connected during Washington wildfires

• Our network remains strong across Spokane.
• We are waiving calling, texting and data charges to help our consumer and small business customers connect with loved ones.
• Verizon is donating $25,000 to Innovia Foundation’s Spokane Complex Wildfire Response Fund.
• We continue to offer free bottled water, device charging and free Wi-Fi at our Spokane Valley and Spokane Northside stores.
• We continue to provide charging stations for public use at the American Red Cross shelter at the Spokane Convention Center.

A Verizon community disaster resilience connectivity van has arrived in Spokane, providing critical connectivity and essential resources for the community.

The van, a part of Verizon’s holistic Community Disaster Resilience Initiative, will be stationed at Shadle Park High School as part of the Spokane Disaster Assistance Center. The van functions as a community communication hub, providing free WiFi, secure device charging lockers, tabletop charging ports, and public-access Chromebooks. Verizon representatives are on site and can help print urgently needed documents—like those for insurance claims—and facilitate phone calls for those individuals without a device.

Other key resources will also be distributed, including water, flashlights, three-in-one charging cables, dry bags for securing essential documents and N95 masks to combat the low air quality.

Since launching in spring 2026, the community disaster resilience connectivity vans have supported over 50 deployments in 17 states, providing over 2,000 individuals with connectivity, charging, and disaster resilience education for hazards such as tornadoes, flooding, and wildfires.

The van is currently slated to be open to community members until August 12th, subject to community needs.

• Our network remains strong across Spokane despite the extensive devastation in the region.
• We are waiving calling, texting and data charges to help our customers connect with loved ones
• We are offering free bottled water, charging of devices and free Wi-Fi at our Spokane Valley and Spokane Northside stores
• We are providing charging stations for public use at the American Red Cross shelter at the Spokane Convention Center.

Verizon is reinforcing its commitment to the Spokane, WA, community with a $25,000 donation to Innovia Foundation’s Spokane Complex Wildfire Response Fund.

“Verizon is committed to maximizing our impact for the Spokane community during this heartbreaking crisis,” said Rudy Reyes, Regional Vice President of State Government Affairs for Verizon. “Our grant to Innovia Foundation was made with one goal in mind: direct relief. Innovia Foundation passes all of the funds raised straight to vetted local nonprofits, providing emergency shelter, food, and rebuilding assistance.”

These funds are intended to support immediate and long-term needs related to the ongoing fires in the Spokane region.

“We are appreciative of Verizon stepping up to support our region when it matters most,” said Shelly O'Quinn, Innovia Foundation CEO. “This funding ensures that critical relief reaches the organizations on the front lines meeting urgent needs right here in Spokane. We are deeply grateful for their partnership and shared commitment to helping our neighbors rebuild. It takes a collective effort to heal, and Verizon’s contribution is a vital part of that effort.”

• Verizon’s network remains strong
• In response to the wildfires in Washington, Verizon is waiving calling, texting and data charges to help our customers connect with loved ones
• This applies to all consumer and small business customers, including prepaid brands
• Verizon Community Disaster Resilience Connectivity Van is deployed

SPOKANE, WA—As crews continue to fight ongoing wildfires across Washington, Verizon is working to keep the community and displaced residents connected.

In response to the devastating wildfires in Spokane, Verizon will waive domestic call, text, and data charges until August 31 for prepaid and postpaid consumer customers along with small business customers ^*  in Spokane County, WA.

Customers do not have to take any action to take advantage of the offer. Any overages for those whose billing cycles have already closed will be automatically credited back.

“Our teams live and work in Spokane, so this is a deeply personal event for us. We are on the ground to support the community while ensuring our network stays strong for first responders, small businesses, and families,” said Aimee Novak, West Area President of Verizon.

Verizon remains committed to maintaining the safety and connectivity of communities, businesses, and first responders throughout affected areas. We continue to offer support to local customers in a number of ways:

• Delivered charging stations for public use at the American Red Cross shelter at the Spokane Convention Center.

• Providing free bottled water, charging of devices and free Wi-Fi at our Spokane Valley and Spokane Northside Verizon stores.
  • Spokane Valley—15106 E. Indiana Avenue, Spokane Valley, WA, 99216
  • Spokane Northside—6227 N Division St, Spokane, WA, 99208
• Verizon community disaster resilience connectivity van—a self-sufficient, mobile community resource hub is on its way to the community.

Verizon’s network remains strong across Spokane despite the extensive devastation in the region. With redundancy built into critical paths and components, our network is engineered to withstand severe weather and natural disasters, providing essential reliable connectivity for our customers, first responders and the community.

Our specialized engineering and technical teams are actively assessing and monitoring the situation around the clock. We are also maintaining direct contact with local emergency management teams to coordinate communication needs. We have staged mobile assets including mobile cell sites, portable generators and satellite links ready to deploy for rapid recovery and community support if conditions change.

While our network is built to handle the unexpected, satellite capabilities give customers an extra layer of connection if cellular service is ever interrupted during a natural disaster. Learn more, here.

Current conditions and evacuation orders can impact our retail hours. Verizon’s website has the latest information on store hours and locations. Customers can also reach out online and via the My Verizon app.

We will continue to provide updates as the situation evolves. To automatically receive updates as they are posted, please visit our News Alerts Signup page or check back here regularly for the latest information.