Emergency Communications

March 2013 — The Emergency Access Advisory Committee (EAAC) released a report entitled EAAC Working Group 3 Recommendations on Current 9-1-1 and Next-Generation 9-1-1: Media Communication Line Services Used to Ensure Effective Communication with Callers with Disabilities. The document discusses EAAC recommendations to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S.

February 2013— The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Report to Congress in entitled Legal and Regulatory Framework for Next Generation 911 Services, in which the Wireless RERC was cited and referenced throughout the document. In preparation of the report, the FCC issued a Public Notice that sought public comments on the issues related to the legal and regulatory infrastructure needed for the transition from legacy 911 to Next Generation 911 (NG911).

February 27, 2013— The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) submitted a Report to Congress pursuant to Section 6509 of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Advancement Act of 2012 (NG911 Act) entitled: Legal and Regulatory Framework for Next Generation 911 Services. The report, developed by FCC staff in the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, provides recommendations to build the necessary legal and regulatory infrastructure to support states, public safety answering points (PSAPs) and service providers, as they transition from legacy 911 to NG911.

February 25, 2013 — The Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an Order [PS Docket No. 07-287] that officially changes the name of the system used to transmit emergency alerts to the public from “Commercial Mobile Alert System” (CMAS) to “Wireless Emergency Alerts” (WEA). Under the Warning Alert and Response Network Act (WARN Act), the FCC adopted the essential technical requirements to enable commercial mobile service providers to transmit emergency alerts.

The Computer Science and Telecommunications Board of the National Academies hosted a workshop to examine current knowledge and research on geotargeted disaster alerts and warnings on February 21-22, 2013 in Washington, D.C.  The workshop was organized by the Committee on Geotargeted Disaster Alerts and Warnings, which is charged with examining current knowledge and research to improve the effectiveness of alerts and warnings with greater geographical precision.  Helena Mitchell, Wireless RERC Principal Investigator and a member of the committee, moderated the workshop panel, Lessons fro