Oct 17, 2023
Emergency Preparedness: How Life Wireless Keeps You Safe
Reading time: 7 minutes
Life Wireless is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that provides free or low-cost cell phone service to eligible low-income individuals in the United States. This is crucial because, without a cell phone, the ability to communicate with others and to stay aware of what's happening locally and globally is almost impossible.
With a free Life Wireless cell phone and service, you have access to a variety of emergency services alerts from the national weather service and others designed to keep you and your loved ones safe and sound in an emergency situation.
You can make and receive calls, send text messages, and receive wea messages, (wireless emergency alerts WEAs), with your Life Wireless mobile device.
Like all mobile service providers in the U.S., Life Wireless allows users to call 911 for emergency assistance. This is a crucial safety feature, as it ensures that users can reach out for help in urgent situations. For an added layer of protection and preparedness, download emergency apps including FEMA, AccuWeather, and Red Cross Emergency to help keep you updated as a situation unfolds.
Alerts to Be Familiar with:
1. Wireless Emergency Alerts
Wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) from FEMA, such as evacuation orders or Amber Alerts, allow officials to provide the public with life-saving information quickly. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs)are free wireless notifications delivered to a WEA-enabled mobile device as part of a public safety system in conjunction with federal, state and local authorities. Take a moment to download the newly updated FEMA App to your wireless device to get preparedness strategies and real-time weather and emergency alerts. These emergency alerts are provided free by wireless carriers.
Authorized public safety officials send WEA alerts through FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to participating wireless carriers, which then push the alerts to compatible mobile devices in the affected area. The alerts are broadcast to the geographic area affected by an emergency. This means that if an alert is sent to a zone in New York, WEA-capable mobile devices in that zone can receive the alert, even if they are roaming or visiting from another state.
WEA is one of many ways you can receive emergency notifications. Other sources include NOAA Weather Radio, news media coverage, the Emergency Alert System on radio and TV broadcasts, desktop applications, mobile applications, and other alerting methods offered by local and state public safety agencies. Wireless Emergency Alerts keep communities informed of imminent threats to safety and alert them to missing persons in their area. You can opt-out of receiving WEA messages for imminent threats and AMBER alerts, but not for Presidential messages. To opt out, please refer to instructions from your wireless carrier or visit http://www.ctia.org/consumer-resources/wireless-emergency-alerts for more information.
The Wireless Emergency Alerts system is an essential part of America's emergency preparedness. Since its launch in 2012, the WEA system has been used more than 84,000 times to warn the public about dangerous weather, missing children, and other critical situations – all through alerts on compatible cell phones and other mobile devices.
2. Amber Alerts
AMBER alerts notify the community of abducted children or other missing persons who may potentially be sighted in the local area. Imminent danger and Imminent Threat alerts can warn you of extreme weather or other threats to safety. Should you like, you can opt out of Imminent Danger and Amber Alerts through the settings menu on your wireless device.
Stay Safe in an Emergency: Use Voice Calls
During an emergency or disaster, use voice calls only for important communication and keep them short. Instead, use text messaging, email or social media to let your loved ones know your status. Keep messages short and simple.
Stay Safe in an Emergency: Conserve Your Phone's Battery
It's also important, in case of a power failure, to conserve your cellphone's battery life. Whenever possible, turn on your phone's power-saving mode and avoid video calls as they will quickly drain your battery. Reduce the screen's brightness of your cell phone and adjust your settings to ensure your phone's screen goes into sleep mode faster. Close your unused apps and turn off push notifications so nothing is running in the background.
If you don't need to be in immediate contact with anyone, consider turning on airplane mode for maximum power savings.
The importance of wireless connectivity
With nearly all Americans owning a mobile phone, wireless plays a key role in keeping Americans safe during emergencies and natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and tornadoes. To make sure you have the latest information, including evacuation instructions, there are a few steps you can take before and during a disaster.
Sign up for all local emergency alerts
Many localities have community alert systems that allow officials to immediately alert you and your family to emergencies that may affect your area. Sign up for these alerts via text, email, or phone call.
Purchase an emergency radio scanner
If you are tech-savvy and want real-time updates on emergency services in your area, you can consider purchasing an emergency radio scanner. This device allows you to listen to emergency service communications.
If you have Internet access, check social media and local websites
During emergencies, official social media accounts of local government agencies, police, and other emergency services often provide real-time updates. Also, official websites of these organizations can have important information. However, always verify information from official sources to avoid misinformation.
Now that you know how Life Wireless can keep you safe in an emergency, protect your hard-earned money by getting your wireless service for FREE with Life Wireless!
Posted 6 months ago