Comcast provides Internet service to Local Assistance Center, opens 1,100 WiFi Hotspots to help residents and emergency personnel, and donates $70,000 toward community relief efforts.
Comcast will provide technology, financial and community support for those impacted by California’s Park Fire, which is now the fourth largest fire in the state’s history.
Comcast will provide support for Park Fire relief efforts in three ways:
- The company will provide Internet and TV services at the Chico-based Local Assistance Center.
- To help residents and emergency personnel stay connected, Comcast has opened 1,100 Xfinity WiFi hotspots in Butte and Tehama Counties for free use by anyone who needs them – including non-Xfinity customers.
- Comcast will make $70,000 in cash and in-kind donations to six organizations providing a range of community support during the Park Fire.
Comcast Provides Internet & TV Service at Chico Assistance Center
Comcast will provide Internet and TV services at the Local Assistance Center (LAC) in Chico, beginning Monday, August 5. The Chico LAC will be open for two weeks, Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The location will enable residents impacted by the Park Fire to access government services and resources needed to recover and rebuild. The assistance center is located at 2156 Pillsbury Road, Suite 11 in Chico.
Comcast Opens 1,100 WiFi Hot Spots in Butte and Tehama Counties
To help residents and emergency personnel stay connected during the Park Fire, Comcast is opening its network of 1,100 public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in Butte and Tehama Counties. Public Xfinity WiFi hotspots in these areas are now available and free for anyone to use, including non-Xfinity customers.
Comcast Donates $70,000 For Fire Relief Efforts
Comcast will give $70,000 in cash and in-kind donations to aid those impacted by the Park Fire and support future fire relief efforts for the following local organizations:
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the North Valley is a long-standing community partner for Comcast and assists families impacted by wildfires.
- North Valley Animal Disaster Group volunteers assist with evacuations and care of small and large animals during wildfires.
- North Valley Community Foundation raises funds to support nonprofits and agencies doing fire recovery and prevention work through their Wildfire Relief and Recovery Fund.
- Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, Inc. helps secure essential items and provides ongoing support services to those affected by wildfires.
- True North Housing Alliance provides relief to eligible residents impacted by fires through rapid rehousing programs and other support services, as well as provides emergency shelter for evacuees.
- Watch Duty alerts communities of nearby wildfires and firefighting efforts and provides a vital resource that advises when and where to go during an active disaster.
How to Connect to Xfinity WiFi Hotspots
For a map of public Xfinity WiFi hotspots, which are located both indoors and outdoors in places such as shopping districts, parks, and businesses, visit Xfinity.com/wifi. When a hotspot is within range, select the “xfinitywifi” network on a device’s list of available networks and launch a browser. Sign-in options will appear for both Xfinity customers and non-customers.
Xfinity Internet customers can sign in with their account credentials and they will be automatically connected to Xfinity WiFi hotspots in their range in the future. Alternatively, they can download the Xfinity WiFi Hotspots app and sign in with their account credentials.
Non-Xfinity Internet subscribers need to look for the “Get Connected” section and agree to the Terms and Conditions to be connected. Non-customers will be able to renew their complimentary sessions every two hours.
**Please note that if a user does not see the “Accept and Connect” button, the hotspot he or she is trying to connect to is in an Xfinity customer’s home and is not open to the public.
Get Prepared and Stay Connected
There are also a few simple, easy things customers can do now to prepare and stay connected. They can start by downloading Comcast’s free mobile apps:
- Xfinity My Account — Get updates on outages and report service interruptions.
- Xfinity Stream — View live TV, get weather updates, and download shows and movies beforehand to watch offline in case you lose power.
- Xfinity WiFi Hotspots — Xfinity Internet customers can access millions of Xfinity WiFi hotspots available nationwide.
Comcast may also send text alerts to customers with information about service interruptions or tips for restoring their services. Customers can log in to the Xfinity App to make sure their mobile phone numbers are added.
Here are a few additional helpful tips and safety precautions:
- Customers should plug TV’s, modems, and cable boxes into a surge protector to protect them from damage in case of a sudden power outage.
- Emergency management procedures dictate that electricity must be restored first and Comcast must receive clearance that it is safe for our crews to begin any restoration work. Should customers experience a loss of service due to a power outage, local power must first be restored before Xfinity video, phone or internet services can begin working again.
- If customers have electricity but not Xfinity services, Comcast recommends restarting or resetting devices, including wireless gateways, modems, routers, and cable boxes.
- In some cases, customers may have power back but not their Xfinity services because commercial power has not been restored to our network in that area.
- Customers should always stay clear of downed power and cable lines in the interest of safety.
- Forward a home phone number to a mobile phone number so that customers can receive emergency calls even if they are not home.
Tips for Comcast Business customers:
- Download the Comcast Business App and enable Be Anywhere to allow another device to make calls with a business’s Caller ID.
- Enable Call Forwarding so business calls can be received on mobile devices.
- Check that the battery backup is working so Voice Services will still be available during a power outage.
- Make sure Connection Pro services are set up correctly. The automatic wireless backup feature will help devices stay up and running.
For more information, customers can chat online with an agent, visit Xfinity.com/response or connect with Comcast on X at @xfinitysupport.
