The FCC has established an Office of Homeland Security within its Enforcement Bureau to focus on the nation's emergency preparedness issues. The Office of Homeland Security will also be responsible for rules relating to the Emergency Alert System and will oversee operation of the FCC's 24-hour Communications and Crisis Management Center and its Emergency Operations Center, functions that are currently handled in the Enforcement Bureau's Technical and Public Safety Division. James A. Dailey, a 31-year FCC veteran, has been named Director of the Office.
The two main objectives of the FCC's Homeland Security Action Plan are:
- to strengthen measures for protecting the nation's communications infrastructure and facilitate rapid service restoration after disruption. This includes promoting the best practices of the Network Reliability and Interoperability Council (NRIC).
to promote access to effective communications services by public safety, public health, and other emergency personnel. This includes further work on the E911 initiative, resolving interference issues for public safety systems in the 800 MHz band, permitting dedicated short-range communications at 5.9 GHz for intelligent transportation systems, and other work on Cognitive Radio Technologies.
