By By MARY-ALLISON LANCASTER – Managing editor
To better prepare for the upcoming hurricane season, predicted to be the worst yet, Brewton city officials have been working on several disaster preparedness tactics.
The most recent preparation includes acquiring a satellite phone, which according to Brewton City Clerk John Angel will be used &#8220in case the bottom fell out.”
Angel said the QUALCOMM GSP-1600 satellite phone is currently being held at the city's Municipal Complex inside a safe.
Councilwoman Ann Marie Sasser, who is head of the hurricane disaster preparedness committee, said she was sure if a disaster were to occur, the phones would provide &#8220communication with the outside world should we get into the situation we were in during (hurricane) Ivan.”
A satellite phone is a wireless phone that uses a satellite link. It connects callers via a communications satellite that receives transmissions and then relays it back to the caller.
City officials cited communication as the number one problem during Hurricane Ivan.
Most often, officials had to rely on phone links to communicate with other municipalities and state officials.