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On September 20, 2005, the Minority Media Telecommunications Council (MMTC) filed a Petition for Immediate Interim Relief with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), requesting that the FCC take steps to ensure that Spanish-speakers and other language minorities are able to receive Emergency Alerts in their own language in the event of a disaster.  Consumers Union filed a letter in support of MMTC’s Petition.

MMTC’s Petition explains that, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, language minorities in the affected areas were unable to receive vital emergency information in their languages.  The only Spanish language station broadcasting in the New Orleans area was forced to cease transmission during the disaster and there were no backup Spanish emergency alert services available.  Among the recommendations outlined in the petition is a requirement that Emergency Alert Service (EAS) announcements be provided in both English and Spanish and that EAS plans provide for "Local Primary Spanish" and "Local Primary Multilingual" stations to serve non-English speakers.