Verizon readies for 2024 wildfire season

DENVER, April 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As Wildfire Awareness Month approaches in May, Verizon is committed to maintaining the safety and connectivity of communities, businesses, and first responders nationwide. With wildfires increasing in both number and severity - like in Maui last year and more recently in West Texas - the need for year-long, round-the-clock preparedness has never been more critical. Verizon's teams are leading the charge, employing advanced technology and thorough preparedness strategies to ensure we are ready to face any challenge.

Proactive network resilience and rapid response
Verizon’s network is engineered for resilience, with extensive redundancy measures and backup power solutions across critical sites to ensure seamless service. Our fleet of over 550 mobile assets, including drone and aerial technologies, stands at the ready to rapidly deploy and deliver essential services from the skies. This capability is complemented by our pioneering use of 200 satellite-based assets, ensuring reliable communication even when traditional infrastructures are compromised.

“As Wildfire Season approaches, our priority at Verizon is clear: keeping our communities safe and connected. We’re part of the fabric of the communities in which we live and work,” said Mark Paff, Senior Director of Network Operations. “Our focus is on ensuring that when challenges arise, our network stands strong to support first responders and keep people connected with their loved ones and the essential information they need to stay safe.”

Empowering first responders with Verizon Frontline
The Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team is poised to provide mission-critical communications support to public safety agencies nationwide. Composed primarily of former first responders and military personnel, this team offers immediate, emergency assistance to public safety agencies during crises, delivering Verizon Frontline solutions that help enhance communications capabilities during emergency response operations.

To help enable mission-critical voice and data service during fire mitigation efforts in locations across the country, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team delivered close to 2,400 Verizon Frontline solutions to public safety agencies in 2023.

Last year alone, the Verizon Frontline Crisis Response Team responded to more than 200 requests for support from wildland firefighters battling blazes everywhere from Hawaii to Virginia.

Encouraging community preparedness
Verizon offers preparedness tips for consumers, from protecting personal devices to downloading essential safety apps. We also highlight the importance of business continuity planning, ensuring that organizations can maintain operations during wildfires. From SD-WAN to advanced security tools, Verizon Business equips businesses with the tools needed to maintain productivity amid disruptions.

Suggested steps for businesses and government organizations include:

• Mitigate customer disruption: Think about what you need to ensure continuous service to your customers, and what software and equipment your business needs to continue operations. Make a detailed list, including service contracts and warranty information and all pertinent phone numbers for local authorities, utility companies, suppliers, and vendors. Speak with your insurance agent and suppliers, and ensure you are protected with the right business insurance policies.
• The right tech makes an impact: Ensure you have the right technology to support your business connectivity needs assuming you might need to move away from your primary location.
• Contacts and documents are key: Make sure you have contact information updated and readily available for all employees, including at-home information for remote workers and branch information for satellite offices. Make copies of insurance documents, review insurance coverages, and update as appropriate.
• Test, test, and test again: Stress-test primary and backup networks and shore up any weak areas
• Keep track of equipment: Ensure employees working from home have documented all corporate equipment being used to work from home in case of damage or loss.
• Have a backup plan: Ensure backup plans are in place to shift work in case work-from-home employees in a wildfire-impacted area have to evacuate their homes or their home loses commercial power.

Commitment to our Verizon family
Through the V to V Employee Relief Fund, we provide support to Verizon employees impacted by natural disasters, reinforcing our pledge to stand together in times of need.

More information
Visit our Emergency Resource Center at https://www.verizon.com/about/news/emergency-resource-center for further details on Verizon's emergency response capabilities.

For media: We have b-roll and pictures available in the Media Resources Center at https://www.verizon.com/about/news/media-resources.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ) was formed on June 30, 2000 and is one of the world’s leading providers of technology and communications services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $134.0 billion in 2023. The company offers data, video and voice services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

Media contact:                                              

Meagan Dorsch
meagan.dorsch@verizon.com

Liz Gelardi
liz.gelardi@verizon.com