August 28, 2019 — Sprint is monitoring the path of Tropical Storm Dorian as it moves toward Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and we’re prepared to help keep our customers connected during and after the storm.
Some of the actions that are currently underway include:
Activating of our Incident Management, Network and Emergency Response Teams (ERT) to prepare for this potential event.
Finalizing our Incident Action Plans and conducting protective action measures for our employees, network facilities, operations centers, retail stores, and other facilities where necessary.
Conducting operational readiness checks for all power generation assets, including staging and fuel-topping both our fixed and portable equipment at cell sites, switching centers and network POPs which provide network services to our customers and other critical facilities.
Preparing COWS, COLTS, SatCOLTS and other mobile cellular infrastructure for potential deployment to areas where coverage may be needed.
Staging a number of satellite assets that can provide temporary cellular as well as internet (last mile) connectivity.
Preparing charging stations for deployment as necessary.
Also, the Sprint ERT has activated its 25/14 Customer Disaster Support Program, providing 25 handsets and/or hotspots to any state or local government agency impacted by Hurricane Dorian or providing mutual assistance in the preparation or response to this event.
Finally, as a reminder, now is the time for anyone in the path of Tropical Storm Dorian to start preparing. Here are some of Sprint’s tips:
Make a disaster kit yet that includes flashlights, food and first aid kits. It’s also handy to include portable charging devices, such as car adapters, wireless and battery chargers, and waterproof cases and backup batteries.
Program all of your emergency phone numbers into your mobile device. Good ones to include are police, fire and rescue, medical services, friends and family. And, as an extra precaution – write these numbers down on paper, seal it in a plastic bag, and keep it in a safe place in the event your device loses power.
Subscribe now to emergency and critical communications alerts from your local and state government agencies, and weather stations that cover forecasts for your area.
Have multiple ways to stay informed. Download storm apps from the Red Cross and FEMA which can provide helpful resources for local area outreach, such as shelter finders and emergency meeting location information.
Always remember to keep your wireless devices charged when possible as commercial power loss during and after a storm may happen. It’s also a good idea to have additional batteries and car-chargers for back-up.
Use text messaging when possible due to high call volumes and possible network congestion in the local area.
Have a range of different-sized plastic, re-sealable bags on hand to store all of your technology items and make sure everything is charged in advance because flooding is unfortunately a concern with major weather events like hurricanes.
Stay informed before, during and after a major weather event by following @Sprint, @SprintCare, @SprintNews, @SprintsERT. Also, check back on our Newsroom for regular updates. We will make it our priority to keep our customers up-to-date with alerts and information on our network.
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