WASHINGTON — “If our brief visit to North Carolina left us with one lasting impression it was this: Communications technologies—whether broadcast, cellular, or wireline — are critical to public safety and emergency response. But even the best of technologies is no substitute for the practical know-how and professionalism of a committed team of emergency first responders who stand ready at all times, and often at personal expense, to do what they do best: to serve and protect,” FCC staffers wrote in a recent blog post.
Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau Chief Lisa M. Fowlkes, PSHSB Operations and Emergency Management Division Chief Chris Anderson and Public Safety and Consumer Protection Advisor to Chairman Pai Zenji Nakazawa traveled to Raleigh “on Sept. 21 to gain a firsthand account of the communications and public safety situation on the ground and to offer the commission’s assistance” on behalf of Chairman Ajit Pai.
They visited North Carolina’s State Emergency Operations Center and heard from emergency responders, broadcasters and others to learn about how they handled Hurricane Florence and its aftermath.
