Last updated: February 21, 2008 - 3:34am
FCC MUST WARD OFF FEMA
[SOURCE: Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, AUTHOR: Dimitri Vassilaros]
[Commentary] There is at least one government agency that deserves recognition for its very unbureaucrat-like work during Hurricane Katrina. While the media rightly focused on FEMA's disgraceful performance -- not delivering on promised water, food, buses, troops, diesel fuel, rescue boats and other needs -- there was almost no mention of the astonishingly good work by the Federal Communications Commission. Almost immediately after Hurricane Katrina subsided, the commission notified all communications providers of expedited treatment for requests of special temporary authority (STA). The FCC granted more than 90 STA requests and more than 100 temporary frequency authorizations for emergency workers to provide wireless and broadcast service in the affected areas and shelters. The requests usually were granted within four hours, all within 24. The agency also waived many rules to enable telephone companies to re-route traffic, disconnect and reconnect lines and switch long-distance providers so that consumers' phone calls could get through. FEMA now is trying to get the FCC under its control during emergencies. If FEMA wins this bureaucratic turf fight making the FCC answerable to the geniuses who redefine miscommunication, it would be an unspeakable Category 5 disaster.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/vassilaros/s_467743.html