September is National Preparedness Month and a good reminder for everyone to have a plan in the event of a natural disaster. For California residents, that also means preparing and protecting your home or business in the event of a wildfire.
A top priority for Cox during a wildfire or other natural disaster is to keep customers connected so they can stay informed, check in with family and friends, and even access their shows and movies if they’re evacuated.
Cox also works hard to keep business customers, including hospitals and offices of Emergency Services, connected so they can continue to serve their customers and the public.
Wildfire season typically occurs from May through October. However, wildfires can occur at any time. Some of the most destructive and deadliest wildfires in California have occurred in November (Camp Fire in Northern California in 2018) and December (Thomas Fire in Santa Barbara in 2017).
Cox prepares all year long for natural disasters, including wildfires, by reviewing its business continuity plan and running through simulated events such as a wildfire or earthquake so that employees in all facets of its operations will be prepared and know their role and responsibilities during a natural disaster.
When weather conditions increase the risk for wildfires, the local power company may notify you and Cox that they’re implementing a PSPS. If you’re in a neighborhood where power is shut off, your Cox services may be interrupted. You need power to run your devices and we need commercial power for our network.
We’ll work closely with the power company and public safety agencies to monitor the situation and ensure the safety of our network and facilities to continue to serve our customers.
Here are some tips to help better prepare for an unexpected event or Public Safety Power Shutoff.
Have a charged backup battery for your landline phone
We recommend that Cox Voice customers keep corded landline phones and a fully charged backup battery for phone modems in case of an emergency. You can purchase a backup battery by calling 855-324-7700 or visiting your local Cox store.
Follow Cox on Twitter for updates and info
During a Public Safety Power Shutoff or natural disaster, Cox will post service outage updates and other important information on Twitter. Follow Cox at @coxcalifornia.
Download Cox apps before a wildfire or PSPS occurs
• Cox app – Check on outages, stay up to date with text alerts and manage your account.
• Cox Contour app – Meet your portable TV. Cox TV customers can access the latest news and weather, and stream favorites to their mobile devices.
Generators may help keep you connected
If your power goes out, a generator may prolong your services if your Cox service location still has power. Check your generator owner’s manual for details on power capacity and safe operation.
Homelife Security functionality
Your Cox Homelife Security will continue to work with limited function. Go to cox.com/residential/support/cellular-backup-capabilities for more information.
Consumer disaster protections
Customers whose residential telephone service is impacted during a state of emergency declared by the California Governor’s Office or the President of the United States may be eligible to receive disaster relief protections For information about these consumer disaster protections, visit cox.com.
For more helpful information and tips, visit cox.com/CaliforniaAssist.
