We saw the true danger of the FCC's net neutrality repeal when Verizon was caught throttling California fire fighters. If you're a first responder who relies on the open Internet to do your job, please sign our open letter below.
VERIZON THROTTLED FIREFIGHTERS DURING THE WORST WILDFIRE IN CALIFORNIA HISTORY
While Santa Clara County firefighters were fighting some of the biggest forest fires in America’s history, Verizon was throttling their internet speeds, preventing firefighters from providing crisis response and emergency services to those in need.
Firefighters and other first responders deserve access to the fastest speeds on the internet, especially in times of crisis. Because when emergency personnel can’t communicate quickly and clearly, it puts people’s lives at risk. With strong net neutrality protections in place, what Verizon did could’ve been prevented. But since FCC Chairman (and former Verizon lawyer) Ajit Pai’s repeal, all the fire department could do was pay the company more money to get service restored.
If you are a firefighter, EMT or other first responders, please sign this open letter calling on our elected officials in Congress to restore net neutrality.
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Read the Letter
Dear Legislators,
We are first responders who support strong net neutrality protections. Every day we rely on a range of communications services made possible by the open Internet to help people during emergency situations ranging from automobile accidents to natural disasters.
Access to reliable, high-quality broadband is essential for our work. We routinely place ourselves in dangerous situations to assist others and save lives. But since the Federal Communications Commission repealed net neutrality rules and other key protections in December 2017, the communication services we rely on to do our jobs are no longer meaningfully protected from being arbitrarily slowed, blocked, or otherwise degraded by Internet service providers.
In response, we are joining with millions of businesses, veterans, and Internet users in asking Congress to use their Congressional Review Act (CRA) powers to restore the strong net neutrality rules and other consumer protections that were lost when the FCC voted to repeal its 2015 Open Internet Order.
Congress has a responsibility to ensure there is meaningful oversight of our critical communications infrastructure. Please use your CRA powers to restore the protections we lost immediately.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
What people are saying:
Over a thousand first responders have signed this open letter to Congress, urging our lawmakers to listen to the voices of the people and overturn the FCC's repeal of net neutrality. Here are just a few comments from men and women whose lives are literally being put at risk by the destruction of net neutrality: