NEW ORLEANS --As Louisiana residents, first responders and businesses gear up for the 2010 hurricane season, Sprint (NYSE:S) has prepared its networks and staff so that critical communications are available to its customers before, during and after a storm. In 2009, Sprint invested more than $17 million in its Nationwide Sprint Network and Nextel National Network in Louisiana.
Sprint's network and business continuity teams also will be pre-staged in hurricane-prone states with hundreds of portable generators, Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTS) and Cell Sites on Wheels (COWs) to readily restore wireless service quickly for customers and disaster response efforts.
"Keeping local residents, first responders and business connected during crisis situations has been and always will be Sprint's top priority," said John Stevens, southwest regional vice president for Sprint. "With our reliable wireless networks and immediate resource deployment, we're confident of the service we will provide this hurricane season and beyond."
Sprint ERT ready to assist Louisiana first responders
In preparation for the upcoming hurricane season, the Sprint Emergency Response Team (ERT), trains for the worst-case scenario and provides businesses and first responders with immediate access to mobile communications for emergencies and field training exercises, and maintains a 24-hour hotline, 365 days a year, to rapidly address client needs.
Since its creation in 2002, Sprint ERT has conducted more than 3,800 deployments and provided emergency wireless support for more than 850 events, including the recent mining accident in Montcoal, W.Va., the 2009 shooting massacre in Fort Hood, Texas, the 56th Presidential Inauguration in 2009 and Hurricanes Ike and Gustav in 2008.
Preparedness Tips
Sprint offers the following consumer tips to prepare for a hurricane, wildfire or other natural disaster:
* Keep your wireless phone and backup batteries charged, but be aware that an interruption of wireline and commercial power could affect wireless calls.
* If possible, get extra batteries and charge them.
* In times of commercial power outages, a car adapter for your wireless phone should enable you to recharge the battery.
* Keep phones and necessary accessories in a sealed plastic bag to avoid water damage.
* Load family and emergency numbers into your wireless phone.
* Use your Sprint camera phone to take digital pictures or video of your property and valuables before the storm hits. Upload the images to your personal pictures inbox on www.sprint.com so you have "before" pictures in the event of any storm damage.
* Wireless networks sometimes experience heavy traffic during emergency events, so remember to use Nextel Direct Connect(R) or send a text message.
For more information about Sprint Nextel hurricane preparation efforts, or to learn what you can do to prepare for a major storm, visit: www.sprint.com/hurricaneinformation.
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