Hurricane Emergency Information

Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau

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The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has created this Web site to provide crucial emergency information for consumers, communications industries, and state and local governments in the areas affected by hurricanes.

Consumer Information

This page contains links to information that may be helpful to consumers and the general public during a hurricane emergency situation. The links include FCC fact sheets with pertinent information for communicating during emergency situations; local TV stations that may provide updated news and information in the affected areas; links to amateur radio organizations who may provide alternative communications services; and information about how consumers can help with relief efforts. Consumers may contact the Red Cross at: 1-800-HELP NOW for information about how to donate to a relief effort.

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8/2/07
Recommendations of the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks.
Order: Word | Acrobat

07/26/06
Request for Comment on Recommendations of the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

6/19/06
Recommendations of the Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks.
NPRM: Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

04/26/06
FCC's Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks Announces Next Meeting Scheduled for May 12, 2006 at FCC Headquarters.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

03/07/06
Chairman Martin's Remarks to the Second Meeting of the FCC's Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks.
Word | Acrobat

03/02/06
FCC Extends Hurricane Katrina Universal Service Assistance Programs.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Order: Word | Acrobat

02/17/06
FCC's Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks Announces Next Meeting Scheduled for Monday, March 6, 2006 at the Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

01/30/06
Remarks of Commissioner Michael J. Copps: Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks, Washington, DC, January 30, 2006
Word | Acrobat

11/28/05
Chairman Martin Names Nancy J. Victory as Chair of the Federal Communications Commission’s Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

10/31/05
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Annouces Further Extension of Filing and Regulatory Deadlines for Wireless Licensees in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/28/05
FCC Reminds Communications Providers How to Contact Agency For Emergency Assistance After Normal Business Hours.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

10/28/05
Media Bureau and WTB Announce Extension of Auction No. 81 Deadlines for Applications and Down Payments.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/28/05
WTB Announces Extension of Installment Payment Deadline For Broadband Personal Communications Services and Broadband Radio Service Licensees in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Wilma.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/26/05
Written Statement of Kenneth P. Moran, Director, Office of Homeland Security, Enforcement Bureau, FCC, Hearing on Ensuring Operability During Catastrophic Events.
Statement: Acrobat

10/25/05
Media Bureau Announces Procedures to Promote the Resumption of Radio and Television Broadcast Service to Areas Impacted by Hurricane Wilma.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/25/05
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Extension of Filing and Regulatory Deadlines for Wireless Licensees in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Wilma.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/25/05
FCC Media Bureau Provides Relief for MVPDs and Broadcast Stations Affected by Hurricane Wilma.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

10/25/05
Media Bureau Announces Communications Restoration Processes for MVPDs and CARS in Response to Hurricane Wilma.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/24/05
The International Bureau Reissues Procedures to Provide Emergency Communications in Areas Affected by Hurricanes Wilma, Katrina, and Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

10/14/05
Universal Service Hurricane Katrina Relief Order.
Order: Word | Acrobat

10/7/05
Maintaining Wireless Service for Consumers Affected by Hurricane Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/29/05
Written Statement of FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, Hearing on Public Safety Communications from 9/11 to Katrina: Critical Public Policy Lessons.
Acrobat

9/29/05
Written Statement of Kenneth P. Moran Director, Office of Homeland Security, Enforcement Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Hearing on Hurricane Katrina and Communications Interoperability.
Acrobat

9/28/05
Media Bureau Extends Deadline for Television Broadcast Stations to Make Retransmission Consent/ Must Carry Elections on Cable and Satellite Systems in Certain Designated Market Areas Effected by Hurricane Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/24/05
Facilitating Restoration of Wireless Facilities in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/24/05
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Extension of Filing and Regulatory Deadlines for Wireless Licensees in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/24/05
FCC Media Bureau Provides Relief for MVPDs and Broadcast Stations Affected by Hurricane Rita.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/24/05
Media Bureau Announces Communications Restoration Processes for MVPDs and CARS in Response to Hurricane Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/24/05
Media Bureau Announces Procedures to Promote the Resumption of Radio and Television Broadcast Service to Areas Impacted by Hurricane Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/24/05
Order granting SBC flexibility to use its available telecommunications network to respond to Hurricane Rita, and to repair and restore services and facilities after the hurricane has passed.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/23/05
The International Bureau Reissues Procedures to Provide Emergency Communications in Areas Affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/23/05
FCC to be Open Saturday, September 24, 2005 and Sunday, September 25, 2005 in Response to Possible Hurricane Rita Relief and Restoration Efforts.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/22/05
Written Statement of Chairman Martin, Hearing on Communications in a Disaster, Before the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, United States Senate.
Martin Statement: Acrobat

9/21/05
FCC Order permits State commissions, carriers, and program beneficiaries in the affected areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama to postpone filing certain USF forms, payments and data for a period of up to one hundred and fifty (150) days.
Order:
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/21/05
Granted BellSouth and other affected incumbent local exchange carriers a limited waiver of sections 51.325 - 51.335 of the FCC's rules, as described, for network changes related to the repair and restoration of facilities affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/16/05
Presentation of Kenneth Moran, Director, Office of Homeland Security, Enforcement Bureau, Agenda Meeting of the FCC, Atlanta, Georgia, September 15, 2005.
Presentation: Word | Acrobat

9/15/05
Statements of Chairman Martin, Commissioners Abernathy, Copps and Adelstein From the September 15, 2005 Open Commission Meeting on the Effects of Hurricane Katrina, in Atlanta, Georgia.
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Abernathy Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat

9/15/05
FCC Takes Steps to Assist in Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

The recorded webcast of the September 15th Open Commission Meeting in Atlanta is available for playback from the FCC Audio/Video Events Web Page.

9/14/05
Schedule and Venue Change: FCC to Hold Open Commission Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia at 11:00 am.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/14/05
Media Bureau Extends Deadline For Television Broadcast Stations To Make Retransmission Consent/ Must Carry Elections On Cable And Satellite Systems In Certain Designated Market Areas Effected By Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/13/05
The Wireline Competition Bureau grants, on its own motion, Special Temporary Authority to BellSouth to the extent described herein to reroute traffic affected by Hurricane Katrina, as necessary, over its interLATA corporate communications network.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/9/05
Reminder to Video Programming Distributors of Need to Make Emergency Information Regarding Hurricane Katrina Evacuation and Relief Efforts Accessible to Persons With Hearing Or Vision Disabilities.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat | Text

9/9/05
Joint Statement of Chairman Kevin J. Martin and Commissioner Michael J. Copps Following Their Visit To the Gulf State Region Affected By Hurricane Katrina.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/9/05
FCC To Be Open Saturday, September 10, 2005, and Sunday, September 11, 2005 in Response to Hurricane Katrina Relief and Restoration Efforts.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/8/05
FCC to Hold Open Commission Meeting Thursday, September 15, 2005.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/8/05
FCC Assigns Emergency Telephone Numbers in Response to Hurricane Katrina Relief and Restoration Efforts.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/8/05
FCC Extends Cable Horizontal and Vertical Ownership Limits Proceeding Reply Period.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/8/05
The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officals (APCO) Offers Communications System Restoration Support. Acrobat

9/7/05
Report No: AUC 05-84 - F Released: 09/07/2005. AUCTION NO. 84 SETTLEMENT PERIOD AND SECTION 307(B) SUBMISSION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 31, 2005. (DA No. 05-2401). MB. Contact: Lisa Scanlan, Susan Crawford, Ann Gallagher or Thomas Nessinger at (202)418-2700.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/7/05
Facilitating Restoration of Wireless Facilities in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/7/05
Maintaining Wireless Service for Consumers Affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/7/05
Written Statement of Kenneth P. Moran Director, Office of Homeland Security, Enforcement Bureau, Federal Communications Commission on Hurricane Katrina, Before the Committee on Energy & Commerce, United States House of Representatives by Testimony.
Statement: Acrobat

9/6/05
Joint Statement of Chairman Kevin J. Martin, Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy, Commissioner Michael J. Copps, and Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein On Hurricane Katrina Restoration Efforts.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/5/05
FCC acts to facilitate continuing service for customers of wireline carriers that are unable to provide service due to Hurricane Katrina. The Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau has adopted an order that temporarily waives certain carrier change requirements. This will allow affected carriers to temporarily transfer customers to those carriers with working facilities while restoration efforts are under way, with minimum inconvenience and burden on customers.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/4/05
Commission Acts to Allow Telephone Customers in Katrina-Affected Areas to Reinstate Disconnected Telephone Numbers.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/2/05
FCC Reassigned Toll-Free Number 1-800-RED-CROSS to the National Chapter of the American Red Cross For a Period of One Year.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/2/05
FCC to Be Open Labor Day Weekend in Response to Hurricane Katrina Relief and Restoration Efforts.
News Release: Word | Acrobat

9/2/05
FCC's Media Bureau to Allow Noncommercial Educational Stations to Air Essential Commercial Programs to Victims of Hurricane Katrina.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/1/05
FCC Grants Temporary Waiver of the Commission's Numbering Rules in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.
Order: Word | Acrobat

9/1/05
International Bureau Announces Procedures To Provide Emergency Communications In Areas Impacted By Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/1/05
International Bureau Extends Comment Period In Satellite Space And Earth Station Licensing Reform Proceeding (IB Docket No. 00-248) For Interested Parties Impacted By Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/1/05
Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Announces Extension of Filing and Regulatory Deadlines for Wireless Licensees in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/1/05
Commission Extends Form 477 Filing Deadline for Entities Operating in Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

08/31/05
Commission Extends Regulatory Fee Filing Window For Those Regulates Affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

08/31/05
The Office of Engineering and Technology Announces Procedures to Provide for Emergency Communications in Areas Impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

8/31/05
FCC Media Bureau Provides Relief for MVPDs and Broadcast Stations Affected by Hurricane Katrina.
News Release: Word | Acrobat
Public Notice (MVPDs & CARS): Word | Acrobat
Public Notice (Radio & Television): Word | Acrobat

08/31/05
Amateur Emergency Communications Declarations.
Informal FCC Guidance: Acrobat

last reviewed/updated on 09/20/07