Public Safety Bureau Seeks Comment on Hurricane Response
The FCC Public Safety Bureau seeks comment on government and communications industry preparation and response to 2017’s hurricanes and tropical storms, said a public notice Thursday. “This input will inform the workshop(s) that we plan to hold next year to…
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further explore the matter,” Chief Lisa Fowlkes blogged. “Our aim is to build on successful approaches and develop options to address shortfalls as we prepare for future disasters.” According to the PN, the FCC issued more than 85 Disaster Information Reporting System status reports during the 2017 hurricane season, granted more than 200 requests for special temporary authority, and issued more than 30 related PNs and orders. The bureau seeks comment on the causes of communications outages, the effectiveness of responses from the FCC and service providers, and the availability of information. Comments are due Jan. 22, replies Feb. 21. In Puerto Rico, 24.4 percent of cellsites remain out of service, said the FCC's Hurricane Maria update Wednesday, noting a carrier roaming agreement to provide maximum wireless coverage collectively. In the U.S. Virgin Islands, 25.6 percent of cellsites are out, with 75 percent on St. John out. Noting "widespread power outages" in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, the agency said it received reports that large percentages of consumers are without either cable or wireline service. Five TV stations are confirmed operational in Puerto Rico, with two suspected off-air, 70 given special temporary authority to be off and 30 stations with unconfirmed status; in the Virgin Islands, 14 TV stations have STAs and two unconfirmed status. Puerto Rico has 97 radio stations confirmed operational, 38 confirmed out, 16 suspected off-air, 29 unconfirmed and five with STAs. Four radio stations in the Virgin Islands are confirmed operational, three are suspected out, one has an STA, and 20 stations are unconfirmed.