Verizon Networks Ready to Serve Consumers, Businesses as Hurricane Sandy Threatens East Coast

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Oct. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon's networks are ready to serve customers as Hurricane Sandy is forecast to make landfall somewhere along the Eastern Seaboard over the next several days.

Verizon prepares year-round for natural disasters and other emergencies to provide customers with reliable wireless and wireline coverage so they can keep the doors of their businesses open; stay in touch with family and friends; and check the latest weather conditions on their TVs, PCs, tablets or smartphones using their Verizon services.

(NOTE: Verizon has produced a short video on customer-readiness tips; to view it, click here.  A more complete list of tips is available here.)

Employees are on standby to respond to any crisis in the event network equipment is endangered or when emergency first-responder or customer support is required.  Verizon also can deploy employees from unaffected parts of the country to help restore services in hard-hit areas.

The Verizon communications networks require power to operate.  If commercial power fails, backup batteries and generators in the company's switching centers, cell sites and other facilities keep power flowing so the company's networks can continue to deliver services to customers.  Portable generators also are available for deployment to storm-stricken facilities when needed. 

Verizon crisis management teams along the East Coast continue to closely monitor the storm's path and complete required preparations, such as confirming staff schedules; testing and confirming fuel supplies for backup generators; adding critical inventory such as spare smartphone batteries and car chargers to meet customer demand; moving vehicles and other portable equipment from low-lying areas; and stocking critical supplies in centralized locations for rapid deployment to hard-hit areas. 

In addition, Verizon's disaster recovery fleet of emergency vehicles stands ready for deployment to the affected region, if needed.  The fleet includes a 51-foot mobile command center; two 53-foot mobile emergency calling centers; and satellite trailers.  (Click here to view Verizon's disaster recovery fleet.)

Verizon also has the industry's first environmental hazmat response team, the Major Emergency Response Incident Team (MERIT), which will remain on standby to deploy immediately, if needed.  This team is specially trained for rapid deployment to manage hazardous materials emergencies involving or threatening Verizon's critical communications facilities or infrastructure, or other company assets.

Residential customers should contact Verizon online at www.verizon.com/outage or call 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) to report any service-related issue.  Business customers should contact their regular customer service centers or account teams as needed. 

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ), headquartered in New York, is a global leader in delivering broadband and other wireless and wireline communications services to consumer, business, government and wholesale customers.  Verizon Wireless operates America's most reliable wireless network, with nearly 96 million retail customers nationwide.  Verizon also provides converged communications, information and entertainment services over America's most advanced fiber-optic network, and delivers integrated business solutions to customers in more than 150 countries, including all of the Fortune 500.  A Dow 30 company with $111 billion in 2011 revenues, Verizon employs a diverse workforce of 184,500.  For more information, visit www.verizon.com.

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SOURCE Verizon