Independent Panel Reviewing the Impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks

The Federal Communications Commission’s will hold its next meeting on Monday, March 6, 2006 at 10:00 a.m. Central Time at the Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State University, 1230 Raymond Road, Jackson, MS 39204. If its planned business for this meeting is not completed on March 6th, the Panel will reconvene on Tuesday, March 7, 2006 at 9:30 a.m. Central Time (10:30 a.m. Eastern Time) at the same location.
The Panel’s meeting will include oral presentations regarding: (1) the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the telecommunications and media infrastructure including public safety communications; (2) the sufficiency and effectiveness of the recovery effort with respect to this infrastructure; and (3) ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability and communications among first responders such as police, fire fighters and emergency medical personnel. In addition, the Panel’s informal working groups will provide reports on their progress.
Members of the general public may attend the meeting. The FCC will attempt to accommodate as many people as possible. Admittance, however, will be limited to the seating available. Reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities are available upon request. Include a description of the accommodation you will need with as much detail as possible. Also include a way we can contact you if we need more information. Please allow at least 5 days advance notice; last minute requests will be accepted, but may be impossible to fill. Send an e-mail to fcc504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).

The public may submit written comments before the meeting to Lisa M. Fowlkes, the Commission’s Designated Federal Officer for the Independent Panel, at lisa.fowlkes@fcc.gov or by U.S. Postal Mail (Lisa M. Fowlkes, Designated Federal Officer, Hurricane Katrina Independent Panel, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 7-C737, Washington DC 20554).
The Independent Panel was established to review the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the telecommunications and media infrastructure in the areas affected by the hurricane. The Independent Panel will make recommendations to the FCC by June 15, 2006 regarding ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability, and communications among first responders.

Further information regarding the Independent Panel, including publicly available documents, may be found on the Panel’s website at www.fcc.gov/eb/hkip. In addition, publicly available documents related to the Panel are available for inspection and copying at the FCC’s Public Reference Information Center, 445 12th Street, S.W., Room CY-A257, Washington, D.C.

Enforcement Bureau Contacts: Lisa M. Fowlkes, Designated Federal Officer (202) 418-7452 or Jean Ann Collins, Alternate Designated Federal Officer (202) 418-2792.
News Media Contact: Janice Wise (202) 418-8165.