Phone Calls During an Emergency
USE OF LAND LINE PHONES NOT POWERED BY PG&E: Think twice before totally eliminating your home land line. When the electricity is off because of an emergency, earthquake, fire, etc., many of today’s phones will not operate. If you have a land phone line that operates totally with the power available from the phone service provider, you might be able to continue to make phone calls.
CELL PHONE CALLS: Typically when there is a major emergency, everyone uses their cell phones; however, this causes the service to be overwhelmed rendering most cell phones useless. Additionally, cell towers may be damaged in the emergency.
TEXT MESSAGES: Your cell phone can generally be used to send text messages to others. During the recent earthquake in Napa, text messages continued to flow when cell phone call service failed.
HAVE A PLAN TO CALL SOMEONE OUT OF THE AREA: Local phone numbers are frequently jammed during an emergency. If you have a relative or friend residing outside your immediate area or state, you can delegate this person as the point person to call during an emergency. This person can then relay messages to others.
CITY PAY PHONES: The City Council at their September 3, 2014, meeting voted to remove pay phones from all Piedmont public facilities with the exception of the Police Department reception area pay phone. This phone will be available 24 hours 7 days a week. The staff has found the other phones located throughout the City on public property are rarely or maliciously used costing taxpayers thousands each year to maintain the unneeded phones.
