Prepare for storms with communication tips

Prepare for possible tropical storms and hurricanes by knowing these tips on how to communicate during and after a storm. Here are some tips from AT&T:

• 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.
• Be sure you have a “Hurricane Phone.” Have a wireless phone on hand and at least one landline telephone that is not dependent on electricity in case of a power outage.
• Program 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.

               Visit the Stormtrac Weather center for important contact numbers.

• 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 charging your wireless device by using your car charger or having extra mobile phone batteries.
• Keep your wireless phone dry. The biggest threat to your device during a tropical storm or hurricane is water, so keep your equipment safe from the elements by storing it in a baggie or some other type of protective covering.
• Forward your home number to your wireless number in the event of an evacuation. 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.
• Use your phone's mobil browser to check updates online. Visit CBS12.com from your mobil device for the latest updates about Tropical Storm Fay.

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• If you have a camera phone, take, store and send photos — even video clips — of damaged property to your insurance company from your device.