Media Contact: Paloma Perez paloma.perez@fcc.gov For Immediate Release STATEMENT OF ACTING CHAIRWOMAN JESSICA ROSENWORCEL IN ADVANCE OF HURRICANE IDA– WASHINGTON, August 28, 2021—Today, the National Hurricane Center upgraded Hurricane Ida to a Category 2 storm as it continues to approach the United States Gulf Coast. Ida is expected to make landfall on Sunday, the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The storm is rapidly intensifying and could make landfall as a dangerous Category 4 storm. FCC Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel issued the following statement in advance of Hurricane Ida.   “Hurricane Ida is expected to be an extremely dangerous storm when it makes landfall in the northern Gulf Coast on Sunday. We know the reality of the danger from this kind of hurricane all too well. Our thoughts are with the residents in the path of the storm, whom we urge to prepare now, follow official tips for communicating during an emergency, and heed the instructions of local officials. My office and staff from the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau are closely monitoring Ida’s progress and making the necessary preparations now. FCC staff have been deployed to the affected areas to assess the post-landfall impact to communications networks and to assist in efforts to restore service as quickly as possible. We are coordinating daily with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, and other government partners. We are also coordinating with industry on emergency preparedness and pre-positioning life-saving communications equipment. Today, we granted waivers of certain of our rules to better support emergency communications during the storm. Tomorrow, we will activate our Disaster Information Reporting System so that we can track outages and update the public. In addition, we are reminding eligible government, public safety, and critical infrastructure entities about the various FCC emergency communications programs available to them. As Hurricane Ida gets stronger, I want to thank everyone working to keep us safe for their commitment to helping in this time of uncertainty. In the hours and days ahead, we will do everything we can to help affected areas prepare, respond, and recover. Our Operations Center will be open 24/7 to assist public safety and industry with any issues that may arise.” The FCC is posting information related to Hurricane Ida at www.fcc.gov/ida. For tips on communicating during an emergency, visit www.fcc.gov/emergency.      ### Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).