Norco officer to serve on hurricane panel

Capt. Patrick Yoes of the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office will serve on Independent Panel reviewing communication breakdown during Hurricane Katrina.

Panel will review communications network breakdown during Hurricane Katrina
Washington D.C.- Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin J. Martin has appointed Captain Patrick Yoes, St. Charles Sheriff’s Office, to serve as one of the 25 members of an Independent Panel reviewing the impact of Hurricane Katrina on Communications Networks. Capt. Yoes, who serves as National Secretary of the 322,000 member Fraternal Order of Police, will fill a seat representing rank and file law enforcement officers nationwide.

The panel will review the impact of Hurricane Katrina on the telecommunications and media infrastructure in the affected area and will make recommendations to the Commission regarding ways to improve disaster preparedness, network reliability, and communications among first responders by June 15, 2006.

The Independent Panel is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Monday, January 30, 2006 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m. in the Commission Meeting Room, Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, D.C. 20554. At its first meeting, the panel will discuss a tentative timeline and process for completion of its task by June 15, 2006 and its committee structure. The panel will also introduce and receive brief statements from panel members about the impact of Hurricane Katrina on their company’s or industry sector’s communications infrastructure as will as issues on which the panel should focus.

Members of the general public may attend the meeting. The FCC will attempt to accommodate as many people as possible. Admittance, however, will be limited to the seating available. Real Audio access to the meeting will be available at www.fcc.gov. The public may submit written comments before the meeting to Lisa M. Fowlkes, the Commission’s Designated Federal Officer for the Independent Panel at lisa.fowlkes@fcc.gov or by US Postal Mail (FCC, Enforcement Bureau, 7-C737, 445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554).