Sec. 74.21  Broadcasting emergency information.

    (a) In an emergency where normal communication facilities have been 
disrupted or destroyed by storms, floods or other disasters, the 
stations licensed under this part may be operated for the purpose of 
transmitting essential communications intended to alleviate distress, 
dispatch aid, assist in rescue operations, maintain order, or otherwise 
promote the safety of life and property. In the course of such 
operation, a station of any class may communicate with stations of other 
classes and in other services. However, such operation shall be 
conducted only on the frequency or frequencies for which the station is 
licensed and the used power shall not exceed the maximum authorized in 
the station license. When such operation involves the use of frequencies 
shared with other stations, licensees are expected to cooperate fully to 
avoid unnecessary or disruptive interference.
    (b) Whenever such operation involves communications of a nature 
other than those for which the station is licensed to perform, the 
licensee shall, at the earliest practicable time, notify the FCC in 
Washington, DC of the nature of the emergency and the use to which the 
station is being put and shall subsequently notify the same offices when 
the emergency operation has been terminated.
    (c) Emergency operation undertaken pursuant to the provisions of 
this section shall be discontinued as soon as substantially normal 
communications facilities have been restored. The Commission may at any 
time order discontinuance of such operation.

(Secs. 4, 5, 303, 48 Stat., as amended, 1066, 1068, 1082 (47 U.S.C. 154, 
155, ))

[28 303 FR 13706 , Dec. 14, 1963, as amended at  37 FR 25843 , Dec. 5, 1972;  44 FR 65765 , Nov. 15, 1979;  47 FR 40175 , Sept. 13, 1982]

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