AT&T Assists Midwest Flood Victims and Recovery Efforts through Donations, Volunteer Programs
AT&T Stands Ready, Provides Tips to Help Residents Prepare for Additional Flooding Impacts
AT&T Networks Continue Providing Critical Connectivity
San Antonio, Texas, June 24, 2008
AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is assisting victims and communities impacted by the devastating floods that continue to threaten areas in Midwestern states through corporate giving and assistance, employee support, volunteerism and network preparedness and response.
Corporate Giving and Assistance
The AT&T Foundation, the charitable giving arm of AT&T, is a proud supporter of the Annual Disaster Giving Program for the American National Red Cross. AT&T has given an additional $50,000 contribution to the Indiana Chapter of the American Red Cross to address the recent flooding. The funds are being used for the most immediate and basic needs of flood victims who were forced to find alternative means for housing, electricity and water. This contribution underscores AT&T's commitment to assist the communities it serves in times of need.
AT&T is also responding to local needs in impacted communities and helping other areas prepare for additional flooding through:
- donating wireless phones and service to support relief efforts;
- helping communities set up command centers with additional services and installing additional lines for restoration efforts, and;
- assisting with recovery efforts and flood preparations, such as sandbagging and securing flood pedestals.
Employee Assistance and Volunteerism
AT&T has established an employee disaster relief fund that provides short-term and long-term financial assistance to AT&T employees and retirees who have been impacted by a disaster, including those that have been affected by the recent flooding in the Midwest.
The AT&T Pioneers, the largest company-sponsored volunteer organization in the country, is comprised of employees and retirees who volunteer time to enhance the communities where they work and live. The organization has not only initiated the AT&T Pioneer Disaster Relief fund to provide financial assistance to qualifying employees and retirees, it is also providing volunteers in local communities where additional assistance is needed.
Ensuring Connectivity for Customers
Millions of residential and business customers depend on AT&T for critical voice, data and video communications. AT&T has invested billions of dollars in its networks to ensure reliability and to prepare for natural disasters such as this. A critical element of AT&T's efforts to maximize network reliability is the company's ability to swiftly respond when disaster strikes. AT&T monitors and maintains its networks 24/7 and conducts readiness drills throughout the year to ensure that its networks and personnel are ready to respond in a moment's notice.
AT&T continues to focus on ensuring that its customers in the affected regions in the Midwest have continued connectivity to stay informed, remain safe and in touch with family and friends. AT&T technicians and employees are working around the clock to keep the network up and running and minimize impacts to service. Overall, AT&T has in large part been able to maintain its network and high service quality during the course of the flooding. While the floods have affected service in a small number of locations, AT&T is restoring service in those areas to full capacity as quickly and safely as possible.
Communications Preparedness Tips
AT&T offers these important communications preparedness tips in response to the Midwest floods and to help residents in other communities that may be impacted by flooding in the coming days.
- Be radio-ready. Make sure that you have a working, battery-operated radio. The radio can keep you up to date on the latest weather reports, public safety issues and evacuation notices. Also consider purchasing a weather radio, as some communities do not have an early warning system.
- Have a family communications plan in place. Designate someone out of the area as a central contact, and make certain that all family members know whom to contact if they become separated. Most important, practice your emergency plan in advance.
- 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.
- Track the storm and access weather information on your wireless device. Many homes lose power during severe weather. If you have a wireless device that provides access to the Internet, you can watch weather reports through MobiTV® or AT&T Mobile TV or stay updated with local radar and severe weather alerts through My-Cast® Weather, if you subscribe to those services.
- Forward your home number to your wireless number. Because call forwarding is based out of the telephone central office, you will get incoming calls from your landline phone, even if your local telephone service is disrupted at your home. In the unlikely event that the central office is not operational, services such as voice mail, call forwarding, remote access call forwarding and call forwarding-busy line/don't answer may be useful.
- If you're being evacuated, be sure to pack your wireless battery charger. Have an alternate plan to recharge your battery (e.g., charging via your car charger, extra mobile phone batteries, use of a disposable phone battery). If you've already been evacuated, stop by an AT&T retail location to charge your phone free of charge.
- Take advantage of location-based mapping technology such as AT&T Navigator, available on some wireless devices, to seek evacuation routes or to avoid traffic congestion caused by closed streets.
- Keep your wireless phone dry. The biggest threat to your device during a flood is water, so keep your equipment safe from the elements by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering.
- Limit mobile phone calls; use text messaging to communicate with family and friends. Echoing the request of city officials and emergency personnel, AT&T suggests that customers limit calls to emergency/family contacts during these busy mobile phone usage times. AT&T recommends sending SMS messages as another method of communicating to family, friends and others. This will help free up the network so that emergency personnel and 9-1-1 users can communicate without delay.
- If you have a camera phone, take, store and send photos of damaged property to your insurance company.
Additional information and tips for disaster preparedness can be found at www.att.com/vitalconnections.
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About Philanthropy at AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is committed to advancing education, strengthening communities and improving lives. Through its philanthropic initiatives and partnerships, AT&T supports projects that create learning opportunities; promote academic and economic achievement; and address community needs. In 2007, AT&T contributed more than $164 million through corporate-, employee- and AT&T Foundation-giving programs. AT&T and the AT&T Foundation, the corporate philanthropy organization of AT&T, combine more than $1.9 billion of historic charitable commitment to communities across the country.
About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at www.att.com.
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