On January 13, 2025, Chairwoman Rosenworcel issued a statement in response to the wildfires in Los Angeles County and explained what actions the FCC is taking to help ensure communications services remain available.
The FCC’s Disability Rights Office also offers the following resources and information about accessible emergency notifications and communications.
Wireless Emergency Alerts. Participating mobile service providers transmit Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) with an audio attention signal and a vibration cadence to alert people with disabilities that an alert has been delivered to their mobile device. WEAs can provide important information about events affecting your geographic location. For more information, see: https://www.fcc.gov/wea-accessibility.
Emergency Information on TV. Emergency information provided in the audio portion of television programming must be provided either using closed captioning or another method of visual presentation, such as a text crawl on the screen. Video programming distributors must ensure that emergency information does not block any closed captioning, and closed captioning should not block any emergency information provided by means other than closed captioning. For persons who are blind or visually impaired, emergency information provided in the video portion of a regularly scheduled newscast or a newscast that interrupts regular programming must be made accessible through an audio description of emergency information. If the emergency information is provided visually during programming other than newscasts through screen crawls or scrolls, for example, it must be accompanied by an audio tone and made audibly accessible through the use of the television channel’s secondary audio stream. Aural emergency information must supersede all other programming on the secondary audio stream and must be conveyed in full at least twice. For more information, see: https://www.fcc.gov/general/access-emergency-information-television. ASL video about emergency televised information: https://youtu.be/0w-VHwdi7WE.
Text-to-911. According to the Commission’s records, text-to-911 is available throughout the State of California. If for some reason text-to-911 is not available, then the mobile service provider is required to send a bounce-back message to the caller, explaining that text-to-911 is not available, in which case the caller should try another means to ask for assistance. For more information, see: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/what-you-need-know-about-text-911. For an ASL video on Text-to-911: https://youtu.be/z_OTORD4rx0.
Relay Services. Telecommunications relay service (TRS) providers must deliver calls to 911. Many TRS providers have applications that can be used on mobile devices. Information on Internet-based TRS providers is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/general/internet-based-trs-providers. Contact information for the State of California TRS program is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/general/california-trs. ASL video about TRS: https://youtu.be/0k3TN1nAY7w.
Link to Chairwoman Rosenworcel’s January 13, 2025, Statement on Los Angeles Wildfires:
https://www.fcc.gov/document/chairwoman-rosenworcel-update-los-angeles-area-wildfires
Who do I contact at the FCC if I have concerns about the accessibility of emergency access?
Submit a complaint through the Consumer Complaint Center at www.fcc.gov/accessibilitycomplaintform or contact the FCC's Disability Rights Office at dro@fcc.gov, 202-418-2517 (voice), or 844-432-2275 (videophone).
General information about emergency access is available at: www.fcc.gov/accessibility. For specific information, contact Bill Wallace, DRO/CGB, 202-418-2716, or William.Wallace@fcc.gov. Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432‐2275.