Accessible Emergency Information

Emergency Lifelines Workshop & Tabletop Recap

October 2014 – The FCC announced it will host a forum next month promoting accessibility in wireless emergency communications. The event will allow industry and emergency communications specialists the opportunity to present innovations in services, emergency, assistive and accessible technologies that increase information and communications access in the event of an emergency.

September 2014 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Public Notice to remind video programming distributors of their obligation to make emergency information accessible to persons who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired in accordance with section 79.2 of the FCC’s [47 C.F.R.] regulations. The notice applies to “broadcasters, cable operators, satellite television services, and any other distributor of video programming” as specified by the code of federal regulations.

February 2014 — The Wireless RERC submitted reply comment to the Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC) Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM): In the Matter of Accessibility of User Interfaces, and Programming Guides and Menus and Accessible Emergency Information and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010. The FNPRM requested input on defining the scope of Sections 204 and 205 of the Twenty First Communications and Video Accessibility Act

August 2013 - The Wireless RERC filed reply comments with the FCC in response to their Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking: In the Matter of Accessibility of Emergency Information and Apparatus Requirements for Emergency Information and Video Description: Implementation of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 [MB Docket No. 12-107].