Threats Loom Large Along Flooding Missouri River
Long Lines' Emergency Action Plan Provides Unprecedented Protection for Businesses, Data and Communication Networks
SERGEANT BLUFF, IOWA (Friday, June 3, 2011) Long Lines is a communication company, but with its home turf threatened by devastating flood waters, Long Lines employees look more like focused military operatives than telephone repairmen and technicians. Long before the impending floods of 2011, Long Lines developed an emergency action plan and joined with Western Iowa Tech Community College to build an ultra-secure data storage facility located on a hillside at the Sioux City, Iowa college campus.
"We built our Secure Data Center for this type of disaster, but we never wanted to test it this way," said Jon Winkel, CEO of Long Lines. "The Long Lines family is working shoulder to shoulder with businesses and residents from across the area to ensure communication is not disrupted and precious data is secured."
Long Lines, a Sergeant Bluff, Iowa based communications company, is helping local businesses relocate their IT equipment and data operations to the Long Lines Secure Data Center, a data storage facility known as the Long Lines 'bunker,' that was built to withstand natural disasters like the one posed by the raging Missouri River. The Long Lines bunker is a $2.4 million, 4,000 square foot facility built to withstand natural disasters and security threats without disruption to the companies housed there. Long Lines' Business to Business (B2B) is working diligently to assist business customers to be successful during this difficult time. Providing space in the bunker is just part of Long Lines' strategy.
Long Lines is working with state and local authorities to secure critical communication infrastructure in Dakota Dunes and surrounding areas in South Dakota, across the river in South Sioux City, Nebraska, and down to Missouri Valley, Iowa. This infrastructure currently supports not only Dakota Dunes, but the surrounding business parks and homes not projected to be affected by flooding. Part of this effort has included the construction of a 15 foot levee to surround Long Lines' central office in Dakota Dunes to protect vital communication services. Long Lines intends to ensure continued services to all unaffected commercial and residential customers in the area, and to restore any infrastructure or systems lost during the flooding as quickly as possible after flood waters subside. Customers who need to shut off their cable, internet and/or telephone services may do so easily by calling Long Lines Customer Care and requesting a temporary disconnection for up to four months.
"Long Lines built a redundant communication network to ensure our customers are able to continue communicating regardless of what goes on outside their walls," said Winkel. "Dakota Dunes and the entire Siouxland area are facing an unprecedented flood, but thanks to the area's disaster management teams, Long Lines and our customers will be ready."
Long Lines works to provide the most up-to-date Phone, Cable TV, High Speed Internet and Wireless features to customers using the latest technology. Long Lines offers top quality services to more than 100 communities in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. Long Lines is focused on building communication networks that meet the needs of rural communities and urban centers throughout the Upper Midwest.
