I read one post earlier today of one of the chiffers who was trying to get in touch with friends who were visiting down in New Orleans. Many long distance calls in and out are not getting through because of damage to phone lines. But local calls seem to have better luck when it comes to getting through.
I’m in Denham Springs, LA, which is about an hour or so north of New Orleans. I want to help how I can, and if you’re trying to get in touch with someone via cell phone and haven’t been able to, I’d like to offer my help by trying through local lines.
I’ll give an example. My husband got a call Wednesday morning to work, but they couldn’t reach us by phone, even though we’re less than 10 minutes from there. So his brother called his wife, who called my mom at home, who then called from her cell phone to my cell phone. Because my mom and I use the same cell phone carrier, she was able to get through to me. It seems a bit round-about, but it worked.
If you haven’t been able to get in touch with friends or familly down here yet, but would like to try, I’d be willing to try to reach them from here. If you could let me know who you’re trying to reach, their phone number, (as well as who you are and how they’d know you), send a private message my way and I’ll start trying through the phones.
The american red cross also has something set up, http://www.redcross.org/pressrelease/0,1077,0_116_4526,00.html, but I can imagine that their phone lines may be busy due to high numbers of people.
I don’t know how well I’d be able to get through myself, but things should stable out as they make those repairs to the phone lines.
–Elizabeth