The FCC has contacted Japanese officials to offer any help
on the telecommunications front in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami
there.
"We have reached out to our regulatory contacts in
Japan," said FCC International Bureau spokesman Tom Sullivan. "We are
working with the State Department and the National Telecommunications &
Information Administration to consider what assistance we might be able to
provide."
What can the U.S. government do? In the Haiti earthquake, the FCC took a proactive role, said
Sullivan, including providing technical assistance on emergency communications
as well as passing along offers of help from private industry. He pointed out
that Japan is a different situation, with a robust communications system.
"They are very well prepared for a situations like this. But, nevertheless
we would be able to offer expertise should they need help."
Sullivan said that the international bureau could serve as a contact
point for anyone in industry seeking information on whether and how they might
be able to help. "We're not asking industry for help," he said, but
said that given the FCC's international contacts with Japan, "should
anyone have a desire to help, we can be a point of contact at the FCC that they
can reach out to."
The President said Friday morning that the government
remains in close contact with officials in the Pacific region of this country
for possible impact from the tsunami, and advised everyone in potentially
affected regions (which includes on the California and Oregon coasts) to listen
to "NOAA Weather Radio and their local news to monitor for updates and
directions provided by their local officials."
