FCC Chairman Annouces Action to Strengthen 9-1-1 Communications Networks During Major Disasters

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski today announced plans to launch a rulemaking to strengthen the reliability and resiliency nationwide of our country’s 9-1-1 communications networks during major disasters. Widespread outages and disruptions to 9-1-1 services in the Midwest and mid-Atlantic regions – impacting more than 3.6 million people – led to an in-depth FCC inquiry into what went wrong, and what steps should be taken to better ensure public safety. The inquiry, conducted by the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, included in-depth investigation, public comment and analysis culminating in a report released today entitled "The Impact of the June 2012 Derecho on Communications and Services: Report and Recommendations."