At last week's open commission meeting, FCC commissioners voted unanimously to create the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau within the FCC. The new bureau will handle issues and functions relating to public safety and homeland security that had previously been distributed among seven different bureaus and offices, according to the commission.
Among these previously distributed functions, the bureau will be responsible for "alert and warning of U.S. citizens." The Emergency Alert System was used as an example of one of the functions under the new bureau. Some of the other areas of responsibility include interoperability and operability of public safety communications; functions relating to disaster management; communications infrastructure protection; and advisory committees and panels focused on public safety and security issues.
For a more details on the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, visit www.fcc.gov. The FCC Order 06-35 creating the bureau will provide additional information.
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