Bracing For Hurricane Rita? Follow These Cell Phone Tips

After witnessing the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, Gulf Coast residents are preparing for the worst with Hurricane Rita. Traffic jams have turned Houston's outbound highways into parking lots, and for many of those that stay in the area, power loss is almost inevitable.

Many people may be left with a single means of communication—their cell phones. That's why the major cellular carriers, including Cingular, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint, plan to provide cell-phone users with the resources they might need during an emergency.

Both Cingular and Verizon Wireless have fleets of mobile cellular sites that can be driven to locations that need extra network capacity. Cingular also has trailers ready to dispense that can provide antenna back-up if a tower is out of service.

Verizon says it will set up wireless emergency communication centers to serve residents and rescue workers in need. Sprint Nextel's Emergency Response Team also is standing by to help. It can be reached 24 hours-a-day at 888-639-0200. Sprint Nextel has staged backup generators and personnel in Texas Gulf Coast areas to deal with service disruptions.

These carriers collectively suggest that Gulf Coast residents take the following precautions: