WASHINGTON, D.C.—As Hurricane Helene moves towards making landfall in Florida on Thursday evening as a Category 3 hurricane, Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has outlined some of the efforts that the FCC is making to ensure that people have access to emergency information and that communications networks remain as functional as possible.
Those efforts include activating the Disaster Information Reporting System, monitoring communications outages and working with broadcast associations, wireless carriers, and other communications providers in the expected path of Hurricane Helene.
“As Hurricane Helene prepares to make landfall on the Gulf Coast, the FCC continues coordinating with our government partners and industry to help keep communications networks as fully functional as possible,” Rosenworcel said. “We’ve activated our Disaster Information Reporting System for areas in Florida, the Carolinas, and Georgia, so we can closely monitor communications outage data in the coming days and work to support restoration and recovery efforts. We have also activated our Mandatory Disaster Response Initiative, which requires wireless providers to work together to reduce outages for the public. We’ve deployed FCC staff to conduct surveys of communications services in targeted areas and to provide on-the-ground support, which will help federal and state agencies to assess the post-landfall impacts to vital communications services and infrastructure. Agency staff has also reached out to broadcast associations, wireless carriers, and other communications providers in the expected path of Hurricane Helene. For communities directly in the path of the storm, please heed the instructions of your local officials and sign up to receive additional emergency alerts and warnings. Our collective efforts now can save lives.”
The FCC also urged residents of the affected areas to charge their wireless phones, laptops, or tablets and follow other communications tips available on the FCC’s website to stay connected with family and friends. That information is available at www.fcc.gov/emergency.
In addition the agency reported that the FCC’s Operations Center is available 24/7 to assist public safety, government, and communications industry stakeholders with emergency communications needs.
Updates from the FCC related to Hurricane Helene are available at www.fcc.gov/helene.
