Hurricane Sandy, what may essentially be the biggest storm to hit the North Eastern seaboard in history, is barreling toward us, through the Atlantic, at this very second. It’s estimated to cause between $2.5 and $3 billion in wind damage alone, and has already claimed dozens of lives on its way to the States.
To that extent, the nation’s major wireless carriers want you to know they’re ready to roll. Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile have all released information on what they’re doing to prepare for Hurricane Sandy.
While flooding and storm surges may be the most life-threatening aspect of the storm, wind damage will most certainly hinder communication and likely cause power outages across the area. In fact, it’s expected that 10 million people will be without power at some point over the next week.
You can check out the invidivual press releases from Sprint (here), Verizon (here), and T-Mobile (here). AT&T even has a page up on its site with general hurricane safety tips. The general idea behind all of them is that our carriers have a plan in place to mitigate the affects of the storm.
For residents of states declared to be in a State of Emergency, here’s a friendly reminder to plug in all of your electronics to a surge protector, and leave them charging until power goes out (if it does). Unplug unused equipment and anything that doesn’t have a battery, as brownouts usually proceed blackouts and can be very harmful.
It’s also not a bad idea to fill up tupperware, bowls, vases, pots, and even the bath tub with water, just in case.
And in worst case scenarios, you can always use the Red Cross Hurricane app or SMS service.
Here is a link to the internet’s best tips for the storm.
A previous version of this post indicated that AT&T had not yet published a press release on Hurricane Sandy. AT&T PR responded with a press release dated October 27th, which details a plan, but the press release never hit the wires nor is it available for public viewing on AT&T’s website.