Provider encourages police, fire and other designated emergency response agencies to use free service for essential mobile data communications during times of crisis or natural disaster
Jackson, Miss. (February 17, 2020) ––
With the rain-swollen Peal River expected to crest this week at near record flood levels, C Spire is offering a free public safety data priority service designed to help local and state emergency first responders send and receive critical mobile data communications during a crisis or natural disaster.
The free, always-on service gives emergency personnel, including state and local government, police, fire and other designated public health and safety professionals, priority data network access on C Spire’s 4G LTE network. The feature can be added to a designated account in less than 48 hours after individuals apply at www.cspire.com/publicsafety.
C Spire already waives the one-time activation charge and monthly service fee for Wireless Priority Service, a companion feature that gives eligible emergency response agencies and personnel a higher priority voice connection to its mobile communications network during a crisis or natural disaster. To apply or learn more about WPS, go to the Department of Homeland Security.
“In an emergency situation, essential voice and data communications are critical for public safety and emergency responders who need to get through as fast as possible,” said Brian Caraway, general manager of C Spire’s wireless unit, noting that hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes cause billions of dollars in damage, injuries and deaths every year in the Southeast.
Aided by nearly 24 inches of rain in January and February, the Pearl River in central Mississippi is expected to crest at the third highest level on record near 38 feet later today, threatening to inundate over 2,400 homes and businesses and more than 160 city, county and state roads and highways in Byram, Flowood, Jackson and north Richland.
Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency Saturday and mandatory evacuations have been ordered in most areas ahead of the Pearl’s rising floodwaters. Swollen by near record rainfall in January, the river rose to 34 feet near Jackson last month and is expected to top that by several feet later today.
Caraway said it is critical for first responders to be able to communicate during emergencies. “We want to support emergency responders by making these important voice and data resources available and affordable for cities, counties and state entities responsible for protecting the public during times of crisis or natural disaster,” he added.
“We have a track record of service and innovation that is unmatched when it comes to meeting the critical needs of first responders,” Caraway said, recalling that C Spire made extensive preparations and network investments in 2005 to withstand Hurricane Katrina, which caused significant destruction and loss of life in New Orleans and along the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
For more information about Data Priority Service or Wireless Priority Service, contact a C Spire Business client account executive or the Assist for Business Support Center at 1.855.277.4732.
About C Spire C Spire is a diversified telecommunications and technology services company that provides world-class, customer-inspired wireless communications, 1 Gigabit consumer Internet access as well as a full suite of dedicated Internet, wireless, IP Voice, data, cloud and managed services for businesses. This news release and other announcements are available at www.cspire.com/news. For more information about C Spire, visit www.cspire.com or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cspire or Twitter at www.twitter.com/cspire.
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