Disaster Management: Frontier Communications Prepares for Winter Storm Harper

With Winter Storm Harper affecting much of the Midwest and headed East, Frontier Communications urges customers to be prepared.

In addition to arranging food, water and storm supplies, Frontier encourages customers to prepare a communications emergency kit that includes quick access to important phone numbers, account information, and power charging devices and supplies.

Frontier’s Emergency Response Center (ERC) is activated and coordinating and managing the Company’s preparations and response. Steps underway include:
• Planning for the safety and welfare of the company’s operations personnel.
• Double-checking all safety equipment and supplies used by field technicians.
• Placing emergency network supplies throughout company facilities.
• Ensuring availability of fuel for the fleet and emergency generators throughout the duration of the storm and its aftermath.
• Taking inventory of supplies that may be needed to restore the network after severe weather.
• Ongoing communications throughout the storm.

“The impacts and threats posed by Winter Storm Harper mean our Business Continuity Plan has been implemented,” said Julie Murtagh, Senior Vice President of Frontier’s East Region. “Our thoughts are with all those who are and will be affected by this severe weather. Safety remains our priority We are taking the necessary steps to reinforce our facilities and do everything possible to maintain service for our customers. Being able to connect with loved ones can be a huge relief during a bad storm and planning by our customers will help them to be ready.”

In today’s world of cellphones and quick Internet searches, many people no longer memorize the phone numbers or addresses of important contacts, like family, insurance agents or local hospitals. Frontier encourages customers to prepare a FrontierStorm Ready card, which can be easily stored in a pocket or wallet for quick access.

Here are some tips for customers that apply before, during and after any major storm:
• Prepare a recovery plan that includes batteries, potable water, a communications plan and charging all wireless devices such as cell phones, laptops and tablet devices while power is still available, for example. Battery-powered portable chargers are another option to provide additional power, when needed.
• Snap photos of important documents like insurance policies, passports, social security cards, deeds and birth certificates. Store the documents in a watertight container. Photos can help if the originals are damaged or destroyed.
• Use a cloud service such as Frontier Secure, which provides 50 GB of data storage, to save contacts and other important data on a secure server in case your phone or tablet is lost or damaged.
• Record important local contact numbers so you have them handy.
• Forward your home phone calls to your wireless number in case of emergency and/or evacuation.
• Customers who rely on cordless phones should consider having a traditional corded phone that plugs directly into the phone jack on the wall if necessary.

If commercial power is unavailable, generators and batteries in Frontier's central offices serve as a backup. Phone lines generally have enough power to use a corded phone on the copper network and will still operate; cordless ones will not.
• While home answering machines do not work without power, Frontier voice mail service powered by the network will help families communicate.