AAPD - News

URGENT ACTION ALERT: FCC Emergency Information Access Complaints
September 2002

Hurricane season is here. As Isidore is churning through the Gulf States, thousands of citizens are affected. People rely on television for advice on how and when to evacuate, emergency shelters, and aid during the aftermath of the storm.

On April 14, 2000, the FCC released an order adopting a rule, requiring that emergency information that is provided to viewers be made accessible to persons with hearing disabilities. Such information may be made accessible either through closed captioning or by using a method of visual presentation. Emergency information is defined as information, about a current emergency, that is intended to further the protection of life, health, safety, and property, i.e., critical details regarding the emergency and how to respond to the emergency. An emergency can be natural such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires; or man-made such as nuclear, chemical or other types of severe accidents, or acts of terrorism.

Click for the full text of this ruling.

Since the original ruling, the FCC has issued two reminders to broadcasters, one on 8/13/01 and again on 7/31/02. You can find those rulings here.

One thing you should know... Captioning is listed as one possible method of portraying information visually. Stations are allowed to use crawling text and/or graphics in place of captioning, as long as the critical information is accessible as presented. For more information, the FCC has a Fact Sheet.

A related Fact Sheet on "Communicating During Emergencies". It deals with various 911 issues and other information that helps you understand how the network copes with unusual strain during emergencies.

If you had experienced a disaster recently AND your local television station did not make their emergency bulletins accessible to you (either with captions or through crawling text and/or graphics), PLEASE PLEASE file a complaint with the FCC. The important thing to keep in mind is not the grammar, but you must include as much specific information as you can. Remember, even if you did not experience any hurricanes, but you did experience a different type of emergency, please read on. The following information is from the FCC website. (Parentheses supplied).

Filing a Complaint with the FCC Is EASY. You can file conveniently:

Electronically: If you have a telephone complaint, you can file on line through our Internet site.

E-Mail: You can send us a complaint.

Mail: Written complaints can be sent to:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Complaints
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554

Fax: Complaints can be faxed to us at: 202-418-0232

Phone: Toll Free: 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice, 1-888-TELL- FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY. Our Consumer and Mediation Specialists are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET

We need the following information:

Your name, address and the telephone number or numbers involved with your complaint; (if telephone related)

A telephone number (or email address) where you can be reached during the business day;

Specific information about your complaint, including the names of all companies (television station, channel, time and date of alleged violations) involved with your complaint;

(If available,) Names and telephone numbers of the company representatives that you contacted, the dates that you spoke with these representatives, and any other information that would help process your complaint;

What type of resolution are you seeking?

For more detailed information on filing a complaint, see the FCC fact sheet.

Also, please send a copy of your emergency captioning complaints to TDI.