iPhones should have FM radio capability in event of disaster

As thousands of residents begin to recover from the recent historic rainfall in Kauai — which has caused flash flooding and mudslides throughout the island — now is a critical time for all in Hawaii to think critically about their plans to receive live, local and detailed information during times of emergency. Being prepared can often make the difference between staying safe or getting caught in a dangerous situation.

It is easy for Americans to think that their cellphone, the internet or pay TV will be there when they need critical information when disaster strikes. Yet, time and again, we see cellular networks go down or become congested. Our cable or satellite TV system is knocked offline. The power goes out and we are left in the dark.

That is why — from a career spent in public safety, including nearly eight years as head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency — I believe all Americans should have a battery-operated or hand-crank broadcast radio.

Local broadcasters remain our communities’ most important “first informers,” working closely with public safety officials at every level to keep Americans updated on the situation on the ground.

As we saw during the January false-alarm missile alert, Hawaii’s broadcasters were rushing to their stations to investigate what was happening. Many stations confirmed on air that no missile was inbound just minutes after the initial false alarm, well before public safety officials passed that news to the public through social media.

Yet, despite broadcast radio’s role as a source of lifeline information, many Americans fail to include a broadcast radio in their emergency plans. Thankfully, an innovative feature can turn smartphones into an FM radio receiver during times of emergency, without having to stream over the internet or waste excessive battery life.

Mobile devices have for years been manufactured with FM radio chips which, when paired with headphones acting as an antenna, allows users to tune to their over-the-air local radio broadcasts even when a cellular network goes down. Though a popular feature in the rest of the world, many wireless carriers kept these FM chips deactivated in smartphones in the U.S. until relatively recently.

Recent disasters have proven radio-enabled smartphones can play a significant role in keeping Americans safe. Last year, the radio listenership on smartphones exploded in Texas and South Florida as Hurricanes Harvey and Irma barreled down on the areas. Residents could easily use their mobile devices to get the latest updates about the storms’ path from their local radio stations, even after the power went out and cellular networks become congested.

Unfortunately, while the rest of the wireless industry has recognized the public safety benefits of radio-enabled smartphones — and despite calls from newspapers, lawmakers and even the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission — one telecom giant continues to resist this innovative public service: Apple.

Apple has arrogantly continued to disable the FM radio receivers in its mobile devices, and has even claimed to have taken out FM chips from its iPhone 7 and 8 models — despite evidence to the contrary.

Apple’s steadfast refusal to activate this potentially life-saving public service feature on its iPhones is inexplicable. Americans need more access to lifeline information when disaster strikes — information local radio stations provide day-in and day-out. I strongly urge Apple to do the right thing and equip iPhones with FM radio capability.

Craig Fugate served as Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator from May 2009 to January 2017.