This summer, the world will celebrate milestones years in the making-from the FIFA World Cup to America's 250th anniversary. Behind every successful event is a simple truth: preparation matters. The same is true for hurricane season.

Long before a storm appears on a weather map, the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau is working with communications providers, emergency managers, first responders, and government partners to ensure Americans receive critical information and can call for help when they need it most.

Communications are often the lifeline that connects families, communities, and emergency responders during a disaster. Whether it is a 911 call, an emergency alert on a cellphone, or the radio systems used by first responders, reliable communications make a real difference when lives and property are at risk.

Last summer, the Bureau convened a Hurricane Resiliency Roundtable that brought together communications providers, electric utilities, and government partners to identify best practices for disaster preparedness and recovery. The discussion focused on practical steps to reduce damage, improve coordination, and speed restoration efforts when storms strike. Those conversations are informing preparations for this year's hurricane season.

And when Super Typhoon Sinlaku struck Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Bureau staff worked closely with communications providers, including two foreign-owned carriers, and government partners to monitor infrastructure status, share information, and support restoration efforts. Daily coordination helped ensure decision-makers had the information they needed and kept attention focused on restoring communications as quickly as possible for affected communities.

Just as we prepare for today's disasters, we are also continuing to lay the groundwork for the future of communications networks. That is why this month the Commission is considering two important public safety items in the June Open Meeting that would strengthen emergency communications. One would modernize reliability standards for Next Generation 911 networks (NG911), helping ensure that evolving IP-based systems support the reliability and interoperability of NG911 and reduce the risk of 911 outages. The second would strengthen the security and reliability of the nation's emergency alerting systems through targeted cybersecurity improvements and other modernization measures.

Whether preparing for hurricane season, coordinating disaster response, or modernizing critical public safety infrastructure, the Bureau's work is guided by a simple principle: ensuring that when Americans need emergency communications, those systems are ready to perform. The public may never see much of this work, but preparation long before a crisis ensures help is only a call, text, or alert away.

I am especially grateful for the tireless commitment of the men and women of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, including our 24/7 watch officers, who stand ready every day to support emergency communications before, during, and after disasters.