Experts Predict Above-Average Hurricane Season

Because SouthernLINC Wireless, a Southern Company values the safety and well-being of its customers and the communities it serves, the company is offering severe weather safety tips to help families and businesses prepare for hurricane season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

Earlier this year, the hurricane forecasting team at Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science predicted that 15 named storms will form during this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. Approximately 11 named tropical storms and hurricanes form during a typical season.

Storm intensity is rated on the Saffir-Simpson scale of strength, which starts at Category 1 and escalates to the most dangerous Category 5. The Colorado State University professors forecasted that eight of the 15 storms will develop into hurricanes and that four could reach Categories 3, 4 or 5.

“Since many customers and employees of SouthernLINC Wireless live and work along the Gulf Coast, we know firsthand that hurricanes can cause life-altering damage,” said Bob Dawson, president and chief executive officer of SouthernLINC Wireless. “That’s why we’re committed to providing our communities with practical tips to prepare for hurricane season.”

SouthernLINC Wireless encourages those in the Southeast to take the following steps in preparation for a storm:

- At the start of hurricane season, conduct a company or household meeting to discuss emergency plans and how they will be implemented if a storm threatens your area.

- Plan for the care and possible evacuation of any pets.

- Teach your family and/or colleagues how to use alternate methods of communication, such as off-network push-to-talk two-way radio or text messaging. Alternate methods of communication may be the only options available during a hurricane.

- Keep important documents such as insurance policies and bank account information in a waterproof container.

- Take an inventory of emergency gear, such as tools, batteries (including cell phone batteries), nonperishable foods and other equipment. Emergency checklists are available online from the American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (www.noaa.gov).

- If an evacuation is necessary, call 511 from a wireless phone for real-time traffic and evacuation route updates in your area.

- If an evacuation is not ordered, stay indoors and away from windows. Take refuge in a small interior room, closet or hallway on the lowest level of your home or office building.

- During a hurricane, it is common to lose both power and communications due to downed power and phone lines. If landline phones are operating, circuits are often overloaded, making communication difficult. Ask your wireless provider about its track record of reliability during storms.

SouthernLINC Wireless has a history of reliability during and after several major hurricanes, including Erin, Opal, Ivan and Katrina. On September 1, 2005, three days after Katrina made landfall, 98 percent of SouthernLINC Wireless sites were fully operational. In many cases, SouthernLINC Wireless was the only communications source available. SouthernLINC Wireless continuously evaluates the needs of its customers and puts measures in place to quickly and efficiently manage emergency communications.