Federal Communications Commission FCC 21-36 STATEMENT OF COMMISSIONER GEOFFREY STARKS Re: Amendment of Part 11 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding the Emergency Alert System, PS Docket No. 15-94; Wireless Emergency Alerts, PS Docket No. 15-91 As climate change increases the frequency and seriousness of weather emergencies, maintaining an effective emergency alert system has never been more important. Last weekend, wildfires worsened by draught and a record-breaking heat prompted evacuations across California and Arizona. These difficult conditions are likely to continue; CNN reports that nearly 55 million people throughout the western United States are under heat alerts. Helping those families and all Americans protect themselves should a safety threat suddenly emerge remains one of the FCC’s most important responsibilities. The rules we adopt today are an important part of that work. This Order will improve the functioning of the Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts by ensuring delivery of non-optional alerts from the FEMA administrator and providing for repeating alerts. I also applaud measures to ensure that all states and territories are prepared through active and effective State Emergency Communications Committees. Preparedness and collaboration will guard against disorganization and false alerts like the one Hawaiians received in January 2018. With these rules in place, millions of Americans will benefit from more timely and accurate information during emergencies. Thank you to the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau for their work on this important item. 2