Chamber News

CenturyLink Helps Customers Plan For Severe Weather

MARTINSVILLE, VA – As Henry and Patrick County residents have already experienced, storm season is upon us and CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is ready and committed to protecting its communications services.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: July 6, 2010 434-971-1064 simone.alley@centurylink.com 417 West Main Street Charlottesville, VA 22903 CenturyLink helps Virginia customers plan for severe weather MARTINSVILLE, VA – As Henry and Patrick County residents have already experienced, storm season is upon us and CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is ready and committed to protecting its communications services. The company also encourages its customers to prepare by creating an emergency communications plan to help your family stay connected when a disaster strikes. CenturyLink has evaluated its disaster response plan and is prepared with a well-developed disaster recovery process. “CenturyLink has a long history of ensuring the reliability and resiliency of our networks and in Virginia we were put to the test during the winter storms and again last week.� said Rondi Furgason, Vice President and General Manager. “Our National Network Operations organization has a strong tradition of protecting our network and providing quality service to our customers, even in the most adverse of conditions.� CenturyLink customer care centers have established disaster recovery plans to efficiently handle customer inquiries and repair issues after a disaster strikes. The company also has an internal disaster preparedness plan, which puts many of the recovery practices in motion before a storm ever reaches Virginia. CenturyLink also encourages its customers to be prepared for severe weather season by keeping at least one corded landline telephone in the home. A corded landline phone is a phone that has a handset connected to the base of the phone by a cord. Cordless phones won’t work during a power outage. “When an emergency occurs, the first thing people often reach for is a phone to call their family and friends,� said Ralph Ison, Area Operations Manager for Western Virginia. “Corded landline phones will continue to operate if the power goes out in your home. It is often the most reliable source of communication in the case of an emergency.� Many experts also 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,. To help families stay connected during severe weather, CenturyLink created emergency communication cards that include space to list important phone numbers and medical information. The cards can be downloaded at www.centurylink.com/emergencycard. “Creating an emergency communication plan is vital,� said, Simone Alley, Market Development Manager. “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.� Once a communications plan is created, these additional steps are recommended: • 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 or non-perishable food items, can opener, flashlight, battery-powered radio, extra batteries, change of clothes, first aid supplies, cash and important prescription medications. Don’t forget glasses and/or contact lens supplies if needed. • Keep vital documents in a fire and waterproof case so you can take them with you if you have to leave. • 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. • Don’t forget to plan for family pets in case you have to leave home or are shut in for an extended period of time. Emergencies and disasters can occur any time, anywhere. Some are seasonal and allow for advance preparation, while others occur without warning. Planning ahead and making provisions for your family’s needs can make a difference in your ability to cope with emergencies. About CenturyLink CenturyLink is a leading provider of high-quality broadband, entertainment and voice services over its advanced communications networks to consumers and businesses in 33 states. CenturyLink, headquartered in Monroe, La., is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America’s largest corporations. For more information on CenturyLink, visit www.centurylink.com. ###