Letter to Chairman Wheeler, Federal Communications Commission - Emergency Messaging System

Letter

Dear Chairman Wheeler:

I understand that the Commission has been reviewing improvements to the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) system (Proceeding 15-91). I am writing today to urge the Commission to consider changes that will modernize the existing system to better reflect the capacity of technology to respond to twenty-first century emergencies.

As you may know, the New York City Department of Emergency Management (NYCEM) has been providing emergency public notifications since 2007. In the face of emerging threats, New York City remains on the cutting edge of using public information systems to advance its emergency services and capabilities in executing high-level safety decisions. In fact, they were the first local or state alerting authority in the country to issue a WEA message ordering the mandatory evacuation of coastal New York communities during Hurricane Sandy. Though this resource has provided great assistance in emergency and terror situations in New York and across the country, much work remains to be done in order to modernize the system and bring it into the twenty-first century.

We saw this issue arise recently, when NYC issued a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) regarding Ahmad Khan Rahami, the suspect in the bombings that occurred in New York and New Jersey on September 17th and September 18th. The WEA alert sent by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) detailed information about the suspect, but lacked critical details, such as a photograph, that could help citizens identify him. Because of the WEA system's outdated infrastructure, the NYPD was limited to 90 characters and could not include identifying photos or videos, or links to more information. Due to the restrictions, cell phone users were forced to search the internet or news for an image of the suspect.

It is clear the WEA system provides immeasurable support to emergency management and law enforcement agencies across the nation. That said, significant improvements must be made in order to allow agencies, such as the NYPD, to fully capitalize on the system. Accordingly, I applaud your efforts to improve the system and I ask you to expedite enhancements, such as extending the character limit to the maximum, allowing the use of multimedia images, and improving locational accuracy, so that citizens can be as informed as possible during times of risk.

I am pleased to provide these comments on the proposed rule and look forward to working with the Commission on initiatives that could strengthen this vital resource. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

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