Gov. Dannel Malloy has recommended that people should minimize cell phone calls when Hurricane Sandy hits to save battery and not overload cell networks.
He recommends using more texting instead.
During Tropical Storm Irene, hundreds of cell phone towers in Connecticut were out of power because of massive outages, which sometimes led to the inability to make calls on cell phones.
AT&T, which runs some of the towers, was hooking some depleted towers to generators until power was restored.
Tips from AT&T:
Keep your wireless phone batteries charged at all times. Have an alternative plan to
recharge your battery in case of a power outage, such as using your car charger to charge
your device or having extra mobile phone batteries on hand.
Keep your wireless phone dry by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering.
Have a family communication plan in place. Designate someone out of the area as a
central contact, and make certain that all family members know who to contact if they get
separated. Most importantly, 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.
Forward your home number to your wireless number in the event of an evacuation.
