FCC moves to improve disaster response

The chairman of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Thursday called for the creation of a Public Safety/Homeland Security Bureau to coordinate public safety, national security and disaster management activities in the FCC.

The proposal, which would require help from the U.S. Congress to carry out, was made at an open FCC meeting devoted to recovery from Hurricane Katrina and preparation for future disasters. Also at the meeting, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin proposed providing about $211 million from the agency’s Universal Service Fund for immediate relief to those affected, and he formed an independent panel to review the impact of the hurricane on communications infrastructure.

The storm and flooding across a wide swath of the Gulf Coast had a devastating effect on communications for public safety and emergency workers as well as for the public, Martin said in a statement Thursday. More than 3 million people lost phone service and more than 1,000 wireless towers were knocked down, he said.

“It is our goal that the Federal Communications Commission learn from this disaster,” Martin said in the statement. “We need to determine how we can help companies strengthen our communications infrastructure; create more robust and reliable networks; and improve the ability to quickly restore service when disaster does strike. We also need to improve our own ability to respond in times of crises.”

The meeting was held in Atlanta at the emergency control center of BellSouth Corp., the incumbent fixed-line carrier in the affected region, and drew representatives from the communications and broadcasting industries, federal agencies and public safety agencies.

The proposed Public Safety/Homeland Security Bureau would set up policies and rules to improve public alerts, continuity of government operations, disaster management, network reliability and security and public safety communications such as 911 services, according to an FCC statement.

The immediate relief funds Martin proposed would provide for a variety of assistance, including wireless handsets and a package of 300 free minutes for evacuees and residents eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster relief, advanced services for telemedicine to treat disaster victims and Internet connectivity for schools and libraries through the E-rate program. In addition, the agency will waive or modify Universal Service Fund rules so BellSouth can use funds from that program to rebuild facilities damaged by the hurricane.

The expert review panel will be made up of public safety officials and communications industry representatives and will make recommendations to the FCC about how to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability and communication among first responders, according to Martin’s statement.

Carriers are beginning to gauge the impact of the disaster. BellSouth has estimated it will incur between $400 million and $600 million in costs, and Sprint Nextel Corp. on Wednesday predicted costs in the range of $150 million to $200 million. Permanently restoring infrastructure may take months, one carrier spokesman estimated.