STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER JESSICA ROSENWORCEL
Re: June 29
th
Derecho Storm 911 and Communications Outages Overview/Update
(July 19, 2012)
Last week, at the oversight hearing before the House of Representatives Energy 
and Commerce Committee, I called for the Commission to begin an investigation into the 
communications difficulties that followed in the wake of last month’s storm in the 
Washington region and beyond.  As we all know, weather-related power outages brought 
life here to a halt.  Wireless towers and 911 service failed too many of us.  I believed 
then, and believe now, that the agency has a duty to search out the facts—wherever they 
may lead.  Then we can apply the lessons we learn and make our networks more resilient, 
more secure, and more safe.  
This week, I visited the 911 center in Fairfax County, one of the public safety 
answering points that was not able to answer emergency calls.  The head of Fairfax 
County’s Department of Public Safety Communications described an eerie quiet in the 
aftermath of the storm, as the calls into 911 quickly and implausibly ceased.  This put 
lives at danger.  It put our safety at risk.  It deserves our attention.  
So I am pleased that the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau has 
provided this update today.  I am also pleased that the agency has begun an inquiry into 
what happened and why.  I am confident that the Bureau will get to the bottom of this 
situation, so we can learn from it and be better prepared when disaster strikes.