Storms teach important lessons about emergency communications

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Ajit Pai has been to Texas and Florida in recent weeks to learn what lessons hurricanes Harvey and Irma have to offer about how to improve the nation’s emergency communication systems during natural disasters.

Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, said his agency — working with Congress and state and local officials — can turn those lessons into policies that ensure the nation’s communications networks and 911 systems remain reliable during disasters.

With Hurricane Irma barreling across Florida, Texas dealing with Harvey’s flooding and Maria days from gaining hurricane strength, the Senate unanimously passed legislation last week that will require cellphones to work on other carriers’ networks during emergencies. Now Pai is traveling the country touting the benefits of an internet-based New Generation 911 system to local government officials.

One of his takeaways is ensuring that there is more fiber optic cable in the ground, noting that one of the lessons from the catastrophic flooding that Harvey brought to Houston is that fiber optic cables are impervious to water and have a greater capacity to handle surges in 911 calls, he told The Associated Press.

Hurricane Maria has had a catastrophic impact on Puerto Rico’s communication network, with more than 95 percent of its wireless cell sites out of service.

The recent storms spurred the Senate to act on legislation that had been dormant since the House passed it in January. Last week, senators unanimously passed the Secure Access to Networks in Disasters Act, known as the SANDY Act, which would require that cellphones work on other carriers’ networks during an emergency.