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The 2023 Hurricane Season will be here in a matter of days with the official start on June 1.  In their initial outlook, The Weather Company, an IBM Business, and Atmospheric G2 are forecasting 15 named storms, seven of which will become hurricanes and three of which will reach Category 3 status or stronger.

At Cricket Wireless, we are already readying our networks and personnel for the season.  It only takes one storm to change your life. Are you, your family and friends prepared to weather the storms?

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare this Hurricane Season:  
 
  1. Keep your mobile phone battery charged. In case of a power outage, have another way to charge your phone like an extra battery, car charger or device-charging accessory.
  2. Keep your mobile devices dry. Keep your device safe from the elements by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering like an Otterbox phone cover.
  3. Have a family communications plan. Choose someone out of the area as a central contact. If separated, that is the person family members should contact. Practice your emergency plan in advance.
  4. Program all of your emergency contact numbers and e-mail addresses into your mobile phone. Numbers should include the police department, fire station and hospital, as well as your family members.
  5. Forward your home number to your mobile number in the event of an evacuation. You will be able to get calls and voicemails from your landline phone on your mobile device, even if your local telephone service is down.
  6. Track the storm and access weather information on your mobile device. Many homes lose power during severe weather. If you have a working mobile device with Internet access, you can watch weather reports. 
  7. Camera phones provide assistance. If you have a camera phone, take, store and send photos and video clips of damage to your insurance company.
  8. Use location-based technology.  Avoid traffic from downed trees and find evacuation routes.
  9. Limit social media activity. Keep social media activity to a minimum during and after a storm to limit network congestion and allow for emergency communications to go through.

Keeping the lines open for emergencies
Evacuations, the storm event, and aftermath could tax network resources. These tips help keep lines open for emergency personnel:
 
  • Text messaging. During an emergency situation, text messages may go through more quickly than voice calls because they require fewer network resources. All Cricket Wireless devices are text capable. Depending on your text or data plan, additional charges may apply.
  • Be prepared for high call volume. During an emergency, many people are trying to use their phones at the same time. This may congest the network, leading to “fast busy” signals on your wireless phone. If this happens, hang up, wait several seconds and then try the call again. This allows your original call data to clear the network before you try again.
  • Keep non-emergency calls to a minimum. Limit your calls to the most important ones. Chances are many people will try to make calls to loved ones, friends and business associates.