# Presentation: 141704

## Regional Emergency Support Function #2 Operations

**Notes:**
SPEAKER NOTES FOR THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR:

Good Morning.  (Introduce yourself).  Welcome to the region.

During disasters, I am the one in this region who has the responsibility to coordinate Federal telecommunications support to the state and to our Federal partners.

My briefing will provide you some background information on how I plan to accomplish my task.

One thing is for sure - no one person can act on his or her own.  It takes a team.

## Federal Region VIII

**NCS Regional Managers:**
**Edwin Vest (Primary)**
**Barry Johnson (Alternate)**

**Colorado**
**Montana**
**North Dakota**
**South Dakota**
**Utah**
**Wyoming**

**Notes:**
These are the states that are a part of this region.  Ultimately, it is the state who is our customer in Federal response.

## NCS ESF 2 Mission Related Directives

**NCS ESF 2 Mission Related Directives**

**Notes:**
A set of agreements, plans, policies and laws provide the basis for the NCS’s responsibilities to coordinate communications support for emergency response operations.

## Federal EmergencyCommunications Coordinator(FECC)

- NCS Regional Manager
- Appointed by GSA/Federal Technology Service (FTS) after ESF-2 activation
- Primary Federal Coordinator for all telecommunications requirements

**Notes:**
First, let me introduce myself and my role.

I support the National Communications System (NCS) in my role as the NCS Regional Manager.  Some of my duties in respect to that role include planning and coordinating pre-disaster activities, such as Regional Interagency Steering Committee (RISC) meetings and training events like this.

When there is a Federally declared disaster and ESF #2 is activated, I am appointed by GSA as the Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator, also known as the FECC.

Once appointed, I become the primary coordinator for all telecommunications requirements for the Federal community in the disaster area and the agent through which Federal telecommunications support is provided to the state.

## Emergency Support Functions (ESFs)

-   **1**       Transportation		   Dept. of Transportation (DOT)
-   2       Communications		   National Communications System (NCS)
-  ** ****3  **     Public Works and Eng	   Dept. of Defense (DOD), Corps of 				   Engineers
**  ****4**       Firefighting                                Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)
**  ****5**       Information and Planning          Federal Emergency Management 				    Agency (FEMA)
**  ****6**       Mass Care                                 American Red Cross
**  ****7**       Resource Support                     General Services Administration (GSA)
**  ****8**       Health & Medical Services	    Dept. of Health & Human Svcs (HHS),
- 				    U.S. Public Health
**  ****9**       Urban Search and Rescue        FEMA
** ****10**      Hazardous Materials                 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
** ****11**      Food                                           USDA
** ****12**      Energy                                        Dept. of Energy (DOE)

## Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator (FECC) Roles

- FECC evaluates status of telecommunications in the disaster area
- FECC coordinates use of telecommunications assets supporting the disaster response
- FECC approves, prioritizes,and manages Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) requests as directed by the Federal Coordinating Officer (FCO)
- Serves as Chief of the Emergency Comm. Staff

**Notes:**
What are some of the things on the ground that my staff and I do when called upon?
It is my responsibility, working with our Federal and state partners and industry, to assess the impact of the disaster on telecommunications.
It is also my role to coordinate with the masses of Federal response organizations coming into the disaster area to ensure they have what they need and at the same time don’t negatively impact the requirements of the state and the ability of the private sector to provide for those requirements.
Additionally, I have the responsibility of being the focal point for all Federal requirements for commercial telecommunications assistance.
The Telecommunications Industry will look to me for guidance in priority provisioning.  One of my most powerful tools is the Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) system, which is the subject of a more detailed briefing tomorrow.
I have a lot to do - so, now let me tell you about the staff I turn to and the organization that we use.

## ESF #2 Organization

**ESF #2 Organization**

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

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

**Emergency Communications Staff (ECS)**

**Frequency**
**Manager**

**State**
**Liaison**

**FECC**

**FEMA**

**Other Support**
**Agencies**

**NCS Staff**

**ESF #2 Support**
**Agencies**

**Telecomm**
**Industry**

## General Services AdministrationDisaster Support

- FRP (Stafford Act)
- FEMA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
- SBA MOU
- EPA MOU
- United States Coast Guard (USCG) MOU
- 11 Total MOUs

**Notes:**
As a GSA regional emergency planner, I have a number of agreements with various agencies that provide GSA the flexibility to support our customers under any conditions.  Some of these are listed here.

## ESF 2 Support Agencies

**Department of Energy**

**ESF 2 Support Agencies**

- Other Support Agencies

**Notes:**
Federal Communications Commission:  provides assistance for issues involving commercial frequency assignment, regulatory issues, and mass broadcast issues.
Department of Commerce (National Telecommunications and Information Administration): provides technical assistance as well as policy, procedural and management guidance regarding Government radio frequency assignments.
Department of Interior: provides radio and radio telephone systems during disaster response.
US Department of Agriculture/US Forest Service: provides radio equipment and technical support. Because of the nature of the Forest Service’s mission they have a large complement of radio systems at their disposal.
Department of Defense: deploys its military support with tactical telecommunications equipment.  This support is coordinated with the FECC to ensure that interoperability problems don’t adversely affect disaster operations.
General Services Administration:  provides a Telecommunications Manager who has a dual responsibility as the NCS Regional Manager for day-to-day operations, and becomes the Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator (FECC) when activated by the Federal Response Plan and appointed by the GSA Regional Administrator.
Department of Transportation: assists with authorizing priority transportation clearances for telecommunications vehicles and equipment.
Department of Energy: assists with the restoration of power distribution services, which the telecommunications industry relies upon for long-term operation of the telephone switching facilities. 

## ESF 2 Lessons Learned

- FECC = single POC for all federal telecommunications support in disaster area
- Have visibility and status of all telecommunications assets in disaster area
- Telecom support requests must be centrally coordinated, prioritized, and managed
- Wireless Priority Service is vitally needed
- Early activation of ESF 2 is critical
- Close and continuous liaison between FECC/ECS and FEMA is required
- Plan for alternative and redundant communication means, especially for initial responders

## PROFESSIONALISM 
AND 
RESULTS

- AND
- RESULTS

**Federal, State, and Industry Partnerships =**

- Response and Recovery

**Notes:**
The bottom line is that not one person, nor one agency, has the capability to meet all the challenges that a disaster presents.  With cooperation between states and Federal families, and the invaluable support that the private telecommunications companies can provide, we have met, and will continue to meet, all past, present and future challenges.

I will be followed by Ms. Joan Grewe. (the Corporate Representative of MCI Communications), who will provide information about Telecommunications Service Priority.

## Slide 12