{"id":348,"date":"2011-09-26T15:28:53","date_gmt":"2011-09-26T15:28:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mema\/?p=348"},"modified":"2011-09-26T15:28:53","modified_gmt":"2011-09-26T15:28:53","slug":"fema-fcc-unveil-new-tip-sheet-for-consumers-on-how-to-communicate-during-disasters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/2011\/09\/26\/fema-fcc-unveil-new-tip-sheet-for-consumers-on-how-to-communicate-during-disasters\/","title":{"rendered":"FEMA & FCC UNVEIL NEW TIP SHEET FOR CONSUMERS ON HOW TO COMMUNICATE DURING DISASTERS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earthquakes, Hurricanes & Other Recent Emergencies Underscore Need to Empower the Public with Practical Information on Preparing for How to Communicate Before a Disaster Strikes \u2013 And How to Better Communicate During and After a Disaster \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 September 21, 2011 \u2013\u00a0<\/strong>As part of National Preparedness Month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today released new tips for consumers aimed at preparing them for major disasters when communications networks are more likely to be compromised or damaged.\u00a0 Nearly one month ago, a 5.8 magnitude earthquake and Hurricane Irene struck the East Coast.\u00a0 In the minutes and hours that followed, mobile networks experienced significant network congestion, temporarily making it harder for millions of people to reach loved ones and emergency services.\u00a0 This tip sheet aims to help prepare Americans about how to communicate with each other, and loved ones, in the event of another disaster.<\/p>\n

\u201cBetween the East Coast earthquake, Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, and wildfires in Texas and California, we have had a lot of powerful reminders lately that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere \u2013 and can often make it difficult for the public to communicate with friends, loved ones or emergency personnel,\u201d said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. \u201cAn important part of preparing for disasters includes getting ready for potential communications challenges, whether caused by power outages or heavy cell network congestion. These simple tips are easy for anyone to follow and could make a world of difference when it matters the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski said, \u201cWhen disaster strikes, the ability to communicate is essential.\u00a0 However, power outages and other issues can interfere with the way people ordinarily communicate, making it harder to reach loved ones or emergency services.\u00a0 The FCC is committed to ensuring the public\u2019s safety through the reliability of our nation\u2019s communications networks.\u00a0 But there are also simple steps that consumers can take to prepare for a disaster as well as practical ways to better communicate during and after an event.\u00a0 I encourage all Americans to become familiar these tips and share them with friends and family.\u201d<\/p>\n

To read a joint blog post by FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski, click\u00a0HERE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

To read the Tip Sheet for How to Communicate During Disasters,\u00a0check outwww.ready.gov\/tech<\/a>\u00a0OR\u00a0http:\/\/www.fcc.gov\/<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Consumers with questions about their particular mobile phone devices<\/p>\n

should contact their wireless provide or equipment manufacturer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Earthquakes, Hurricanes & Other Recent Emergencies Underscore Need to Empower the Public with Practical Information on Preparing for How to Communicate Before a Disaster Strikes \u2013 And How to Better Communicate During and After a Disaster \u00a0 WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 September 21, 2011 \u2013\u00a0As part of National Preparedness Month, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[60,76,105],"class_list":["post-348","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-communication","tag-disaster","tag-fcc"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t