# Presentation: 798709

## The National Communications SystemThe Mission and Organization

- Presenter: Mr. William Gleichsner
- (NCS)

## Mission: Assist the President, NSC, OSTP, and OMB

- Exercise telecommunications functions and responsibilities in wartime and non-wartime emergencies
- Perform planning for and provision of National Security and Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) communications for the Federal Government under all circumstances, including crisis or emergency, attack, recovery and reconstitution
- Bottom line: We assure the nation’s telecommunications                                                                                                                                               backbone

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## The National Communications System

**“****Helping to Ensure the Security of the Nation”**

**Critical Infrastructure Protection**

**Cuban Missile**
** ****Crisis (1962)**

_**1961-1981**_

**NCS (1963)**

**NCC**
**(1984)**

**Cold War**

_**1992- Present**_

**EO 12472**
**NCS Expanded **(**1984)**

_**1981-1991**_

**EO 12656**
**Further NS/EP **
**Definition**
**(1988)**

**Divestiture**
**(1984)**

**FRP Revised**
**(1995)**

**FRP w/**
**Comm Annex**
**(1992)**

**FRP Revised**
**(1999**)

**Department of Homeland Security**
**(March 2003)**

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**National Security**
**& Emergency**
**Preparedness**
**(NS/EP)**

## Department of Homeland Security

**Under Secretary Emergency Preparedness and Response**

**Department of Homeland Security**

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## Infrastructure Analysis and Infrastructure Protection Division 

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## Office of the Manager, NCS

- <date/time>

-  Conduct the daily business of the NCS
-  Develop & Manage NS/EP Telecom programs
-  Support the Federal Response Plan
-  Lead Agency for ESF-2 (Communications)

**Office of the Manager, NCS**

-   Coordinates telecommunications response during
-     emergencies

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## NCS Support to the FEDERAL RESPONSE PLAN

- Emergency Support Function 2
- (Communications)

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## What is the Federal Response Plan?

- Signed agreement among Departments and Agencies that:
- Integrates capabilities of Federal Departments and Agencies                  for a coordinated response to a disaster.
- Supports implementation of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Public Law 93-288, as amended).
- Supports the Federal government’s role to provide response, recovery, and mitigation assistance to support State and local government disaster efforts.
- Supports Federal assistance provided under individual Department and Agency statutory authorities.

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## Emergency Support Functions and Lead Agencies for Each ESF

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## Federal Response Plan: ESF-2 Responsibilities

**Federal Response Plan: ESF-2 Responsibilities**

- _MISSION_
-   Provision Federal telecommunications support to Federal, State, and local response efforts following a federally declared major disaster, emergency, or extraordinary situation under the Federal Response Plan
- _NATIONAL FOCUS_
- National Coordinating Center (NCC)
- Mobilization Augmentees
- Telecom Programs (GETS, TSP, WPS, SHARES)
- FEMA Emergency Support Team  (EST)
- _REGIONAL FOCUS_
- National Communications System Regional Manager (NCSRM)
- Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator (FECC)
- Disaster Field Office (DFO)

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## National Coordinating Center (NCC) 

**for Telecommunications**

- National  Level Support

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## NCC Mission

- Industry Resources

- Government Resources

- Coordinated NS/EP Responses

- (NS/EP) Requirements

**To assist in the initiation, coordination, restoration, and reconstitution of NS/EP **
**telecommunications services or facilities under all conditions, crises, or emergencies**

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## National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications (NCC) Mission

**National Coordinating Center for Telecommunications (NCC) Mission**

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## NCC Day-to-Day Operations

- Coordinate Government/Industry NS/EP activities
- Manage NS/EP programs (GETS, TSP, SHARES, WPS, etc.)
- Maintain 24X7 Watch Center
- Network Monitoring/Abnormal conditions reporting
- Major service disruptions/outages affecting NS/EP
- Network component failures
- Events with significant media attention
- Advocate NS/EP issues
- Advise executives and senior officials

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## NCC Actions As Threat Levels Change

- The NCC Will
-  Notify Key Personnel of threat level changes
-  Collect information from industry relative to response/preparedness actions
-  Provide instructions to support personnel as required

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## Federal Response Plan: ESF-2 Responsibilities

**Federal Response Plan: ESF-2 Responsibilities**

- _MISSION_
-   Provision Federal telecommunications support to Federal, State, and local response efforts following a federally declared major disaster, emergency, or extraordinary situation under the Federal Response Plan
- _NATIONAL FOCUS_
- National Coordinating Center
- Mobilization Augmentees
- Telecom Programs (GETS, TSP, WPS, SHARES)
- FEMA Emergency Support Team  (EST)
- _REGIONAL FOCUS_
- National communications System (NCS RM)
- Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator (FECC)
- Disaster Field Office (DFO)

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## Federal Region II

**NCS Regional Managers:**
**James Norman   (Primary)**
**Marty Elmore      (Alternate)**
**Juan Ortiz****	****       (Primary Caribbean)**
**Jeannette Rios   (Alternate Caribbean)**

**New York**
**New Jersey**
**Puerto Rico**
**Caribbean**

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**Caribbean**

**Region II**

## Regional ESF-2 Mission Statement

- ESF-2 Communications ensures the provision of the Federal telecommunication support to the State and Local response efforts following a presidentially declared major disaster, emergency, or extraordinary situation under the _Federal Response Plan_ (FRP).
- ESF-2 Communications supplements the provisions of the _National Plan for Telecommunications Support in Non-Wartime Emergencies_.

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## NCS Regional Manager

- Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator (FECC)
- Primary Federal Coordinator for all telecommunications requirements
- Evaluates status of telecommunications in the disaster area
- Coordinates use of telecommunications assets supporting the disaster response
- Approves, prioritizes, and manages Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) requests as directed by the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO)
- Serves as Chief of the Emergency Communications Staff

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## ESF-2 Organization

**Federal**
**Coordinating**
**Officer (FCO)**

**Operations Section**
**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -**
**Opns Support Branch**

**Frequency**
**Manager**

**State**
**Liaison**

**FECC**

**FEMA**

**Other Support**
**Agencies**

**NCS Staff**

**ESF-2 Support**
**Agencies**

**Telecom**
**Industry**

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## ESF-2 Support Agencies

**ESF-2 Support Agencies**

- Other Support Agencies

**Department of Energy**

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## ESF-2 Emergency Response Operations

- Arlington, VA

- FEMA HQ
- Washington, D.C.

- NCC Rep to the Emergency Support Team (EST)

- Disaster Field Office (DFO)

- Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator (FECC)

**ESF-2 Emergency Response Operations**

- FEMA

- Mt. Weather, VA.

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## Spectrum of Threats

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## NCC Support for Emergencies

**FOREST FIRES**
- West & S.W. States			2002-03
- Florida	  			Jul 98

**MAN-MADE INCIDENTS & SPECIAL EVENTS**
- Wide Area Blackout			Aug 03
- Winter Olympics	    		Feb 02
- “9/11” Terrorist Attacks		Sep 01
- Summer Olympics       		Jul 96
- Oklahoma City Bombing  		Apr 95

**WEATHER**
- Hurricane Isabel		Fall 03
- Mid-West Tornados		Spring 03
- Typhoon Ponsonga		Dec 02
- Tropic Storm Allison		Jun 01
- Hurricane Floyd		Sep 98
- Hurricane Georges		Sep 98
- Hurricane Bonnie		Aug 98
- N.E. Ice Storms		Jan 98
- Hurricane Fran		Sep 96
- Hurricane Opal		Oct 96
- Hurricane Marilyn		Sep 95

**EARTHQUAKES**
- Seattle, Washington			Feb 01
- Northridge California		Jan 94

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## ESF-2 Lessons Learned

-    FECC is the single POC for all federal telecommunications
-      support in disaster area.
-    Early activation of ESF-2 is critical.
-    Telecommunications support requests must be centrally
-      coordinated, prioritized, and managed.
-    Have visibility and status of all telecommunications assets in
-      disaster area.
-    Close and continuous liaison between FECC/ECS and FEMA is
-      required.
-    Plan for alternative and redundant communications means,
-      especially for initial responders.

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