Verizon Response: $100,000 grant to the California Fire Foundation for wildfire relief

For media: we have b-roll, pictures and additional information about our emergency response equipment available at our Media Resource Center. Also visit California Wildfires 2019 for updates.

What you need to know:

• The Verizon Foundation today announced a $100,000 grant to the California Fire Foundation to support their relief efforts for those impacted by wildfires

• Verizon consumer (prepaid and postpaid) and small business customers  impacted by the Hill and Easy fires will receive unlimited calling, texting and data 11/1 through 11/3

• Our Verizon Response Team is available 24/7 to coordinate with first responders

• Verizon’s network remains unaffected by the wildfires

The Verizon Foundation today announced a $100,000 grant to the California Fire Foundation to support the immediate relief efforts for those impacted by the devastating 2019 California wildfires.

 "Our hearts go out to Californians who’ve been affected by the recent wildfires," said Jonathan LeCompte, Verizon West Area President. "We know that disaster recovery takes time and resources, so we’re proud to support the California Fire Foundation as they help our neighbors rebuild their lives.”

"The human cost of catastrophic wildfire is dramatic, both on our firefighters and the communities they protect," said Brian Rice, Chair of the California Fire Foundation.  "This generous contribution from Verizon will help our foundation provide meaningful immediate and long-term support for those touched by fire and natural disaster."

For our consumer and small business  customers impacted by the Easy and Hill Fires  in California, beginning November 1  through November  3, Verizon is providing unlimited calling, texting and data to affected communities impacted  in Ventura and San Bernardino Counties.

Customers can verify eligibility for call/text/data relief by entering their zip code here: https://www.verizonwireless.com/featured/relief/.

Our Verizon Response Team is available 24/7 to coordinate with first responders. We have mobilized charging stations, devices, special equipment, emergency vehicles and more to support local, state and federal agencies. First responder customers with wireless priority service should utilize *272 when placing calls.

Verizon retail stores may be closed or have reduced hours due to the wildfires and power outages. You can find the nearest one that’s open by visiting: https://www.verizon.com/stores/

Verizon customers can donate to disaster relief efforts by texting the word CAWILDFIRES to 90999 for the American Red Cross or FOOD to 80100 for World Central Kitchen, and $10 will be added to their bill upon confirmation of the billing zip code. Anyone looking to help a Verizon team member impacted by the wildfires can donate to the VtoV Fund by texting VtoV to 501501 to donate $10 or “PLEDGE” to donate $25.

Here’s where our Network stands:

Verizon’s network remains unaffected by the Easy, Hill, Getty, Kincade and Tick wildfires.

With regards to the public safety power shutoffs, we are doing everything we can to minimize the  impact of planned power outages on our customers. However, there may be discrete areas of our network that experience service disruption or degradation, due to topographical and other technological constraints that prevent the deployment of backup power or other resources to a particular cell site.

Verizon’s Support of Local Relief  Efforts:

Verizon is assisting with relief efforts  by providing  wireless phones, charging stations, and jetpacks to the following evacuation shelters and organizations:

Northern CA

• Evacuation shelters

  • Napa Expo (Red Cross Shelter), 575 3rd St., Napa

  • Napa Valley College (Red Cross Shelter), 2277 Napa Vallejo Hwy, Napa

  • Crosswalk Church (Red Cross Shelter), 2590 First St., Napa

  • Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building (Red Cross Shelter), 1094 Petaluma Blvd South, Petaluma

  • Petaluma FairGrounds (Red Cross Shelter), 175 Fairgrounds Drive, Petaluma

  • New Life Church (Red Cross Shelter), 1315 Rand St., Petaluma

  • Valley Baptist Church (Red Cross Shelter), 580 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma

  • Marin County Fairgrounds (Red Cross Shelter), 10 Avenue of the Flags, San Rafael

  • Sonoma County Fairgrounds (Verizon Disaster Response Trailer), 1350 Bennett Valley Rd, Santa Rosa

  • Santa Rosa Veterans Memorial Building (Red Cross Shelter), 1351 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa

  • Calvary Chapel (Red Cross Shelter), 1995 South McDowell, Petaluma

• Public safety and other service providers

  • Sonoma County health and human services

  • Petaluma Health Center, 1179 N McDowell Blvd, Petaluma

  • American Canyon Community Center, 100 Benton Way, American Canyon

  • Santa Rosa Kaiser Medical Center, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa

  • Sonoma County Office of Education, 5340 Skylane Blvd, Santa Rosa

  • Lakeport PD, 2025 S Main St, Lakeport

  • CAL FIRE IMT

  • World Central Kitchen (Sonoma County)

  • City of American Canyon

  • Town of Windsor

Southern CA

• Evacuation shelters

  • Thousand Oaks Rec Center (Red Cross Shelter), 2525 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks

  • Rancho Santa Susana (Red Cross Shelter), 5005 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley

• Other service providers

  • Kaiser Socal, 99 South Oakland St. 2nd floor Pasadena