Video: Survey Finds Majority of Families Do Not Have Emergency Communications Plan

Video: Survey Finds Majority of Families Do Not Have Emergency Communications
Plan
EMBARQ and Home Safety Council Help Families Plan for Severe Weather

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., May 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- While 58 percent of
moms feel their families are prepared for a severe weather emergency, only 30
percent have created and discussed an emergency communications plan, according
to a recent survey by the Home Safety Council.
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That is a cause for concern given that many experts say a detailed
communications plan plays one of the biggest roles in helping families stay
connected to each other and emergency contacts during a natural disaster, such
as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and wildfires. With the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration forecasting a 65 percent chance for an above
average storm season this year, there is even more reason for families to
create and discuss emergency plans.
"When an emergency occurs, the first thing people often reach for is a
phone to call their loved ones," said Dan Alcazar, consumer marketing officer
at EMBARQ. "As a communication company, we can help people prepare, especially
when staying connected by phone may be an individual's lifeline."
To help families stay connected during severe weather, EMBARQ and the Home
Safety Council created wallet-sized emergency communication cards that include
space to list important phone numbers and medical information. The cards can
be downloaded at www.embarq.com/severeweather.
"Creating an emergency communication plan is simple," said Home Safety
Council President Meri-K Appy. "First, families should discuss how they will
communicate during an emergency and then record important plan information on
their emergency communication cards. Making sure every family member has this
information at his or her fingertips can be a lifesaver if you're in different
places when disaster strikes."
Both Alcazar and Appy recommend having a corded landline phone in the home
or workplace, which is a phone that has a handset connected to the base of the
phone by a cord.
"Corded landline phones will continue to operate if the power goes out in
your home," Appy said. "It is often the most reliable source of communication
in the case of an emergency."
To help families prepare further for severe weather, EMBARQ also will
provide free corded landline phones at its participating retail stores while
supplies last to customers who come into its stores and request one.
"In addition, as disasters occur in EMBARQ's service areas, our payphone
services division will deploy and set up portable phone banks within 24 hours
where residents can place calls," Alcazar said. "Each person will have up to
15 minutes of calling time and the phone banks will be stationed in the
affected areas for up to 30 days."
Once a communications plan is created, Appy recommends these safety tips.

- Compile a "Ready-to-Go Kit" in case your family needs to leave your
home and a "Ready-to-Stay Kit" in case your family needs to stay inside
your home for an extended time. Kits should contain water, canned food,
can opener, flashlight, battery-powered radio, extra batteries, change
of clothes and first aid.
- Designate a safe meeting place outside your home and out of harm's way.
- Designate a safe place to stay in your home in case of severe weather.
- Teach your children how to use the phone to call for help.
- Update wireless phones with "In Case of Emergency" (ICE) contact
information.

For more information and tips, visit embarq.com/severeweather.

About EMBARQ
Embarq Corporation (NYSE: EQ), headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas,
offers a complete suite of communications services. The company has
approximately 18,000 employees and operates in 18 states. EMBARQ is included
in the S&P 500 and is in the Fortune 500(R) list of America's largest
corporations.
For consumers, EMBARQ offers an innovative portfolio of services that
includes reliable local and long distance home phone service, high-speed
Internet, wireless, and satellite TV from DISH Network(R) -- all on one
monthly bill.
For businesses, EMBARQ has a comprehensive range of flexible and
integrated services designed to help businesses of all sizes be more
productive and communicate with their customers. This service portfolio
includes local voice and data services, long distance, Business Class High
Speed Internet, wireless, satellite TV from DIRECTV(R), enhanced data network
services, voice and data communication equipment and managed network services.
For more information, visit embarq.com.
SOURCE Embarq Corporation

Stephanie Meisse, EMBARQ, +1-419-755-8433, stephanie.n.meisse@embarq.com