The Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks

[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
Five months after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, a new FCC Advisory Committee will hold its first meeting in Washington to review the impact of the storm on the telecommunications and media infrastructure in the affected area. The committee will make recommendations to the Commission regarding ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability, and communications among first responders by June 15, 2006. FCC Chairman Kevin Martin named the members of the committee Thursday and set the first meeting for Monday, January 30, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at FCC headquarters. At its first meeting, the Panel will discuss a tentative timeline and process for completion of its task by June 15, 2006 and its committee structure. The Panel will also introduce and receive brief statements from panel members about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on their company's or industry sector's communications infrastructure as well as issues on which the panel should focus. The Committee will be chaired by Nancy J. Victory of Wiley Rein & Fielding and Lisa M. Fowlkes will serve as the Designated Federal Officer. The groups consists of public safety officials and corporations affected by the storms, see a full list of participants at the URL below.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-57A1.doc