Thanks Given to FCC, Doyle and Others

Clear Channel ultimately had to abandon its New Orleans studios and turned over control to Baton Rouge. While using a helicopter to evacuate one of its DJs, “It turned into a rescue helicopter ferrying Entercom employees who had become trapped” in the downtown New Orleans studios while Clear Channel engineers were working at a remote site that it shares with eight radio stations, four TV stations and several agencies. Clear Channel secured thousands of gallons of fuel at that site.
Clear Channel used employees of its outdoor division who have commercial truck licenses to deliver fuel for generators to keep its transmitters running. Then that became dangerous because of flooding and because people at the site were held up at gunpoint, Lewis said.
“We needed help and armed guards. One call to the FCC … your staff contacted FEMA, and we had armed escorts from FEMA.”
He and Newman thanked the commission for its help and singled out FCC Audio Division Chief Peter Doyle by name.
Newman said Entercom had provided RVs, cash, vehicles and numerous instances of support to employees in the affected area. Clear Channel had stockpiled supplies in staging areas outside of each affected area that could be quickly transported in after the storm.