# Presentation: 064965

## Office of Emergency Communications   Strategic Issues Briefing

**December 5, 2006**

- FOUO

- Presented by: 	Jeffrey Glick
- 	Critical Infrastructure Protection Division Chief, NCS
-                        	Contact information: 	(703) 607-4902; jeffrey.glick@dhs.gov
- 		(703) 342-7113 cell

##   Introduction

-  This briefing describes DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07, legislation as signed by President Bush on October 4, 2006 and impact to CS&C
- Where we have been
- Description of NCS
- Description of SAFECOM, IWN, and ICTAP programs (from open source information)
- Where we are
- Description of the Appropriations legislation as it pertains to the creation of the OEC and the enhancement of FEMA
- Where we are going
- Description of issues associated with legislative mandates.  There are five issues presented with a recommended “next steps” to ensure that CS&C can capitalize on opportunities associated with this reorganization

- FOUO

## National Communications System – Mission  

-  Primary mission of the NCS:
- Assist the President, the NSC, HSC, OSTP, and OMB in:
- Exercise telecommunications functions assigned as Executive Office responsibilities in EO 12472 and
- Coordinate planning for and provision of NS/EP communications for the Federal government under all circumstances, including crisis or emergency, attack, recovery, and reconstitution
-  EO establishes: The Committee of Principals (COP) at the Assistant Secretary level in 23 Federal Departments and agencies and the National Coordinating Center (NCC)
- NCC is a joint industry-Government collaborative body with representatives from 44 private sector communications companies as well as 23 Federal departments and agencies.  The NCC mission is to “assist in the initiation, coordination, restoration, and reconstitution of NS/EP telecommunications service or facilities under all conditions, crises or emergencies”
- Assigns the Secretary of Homeland Security, as an Executive Agent of the NCS, to provide staff to the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC).  This requirement is satisfied by the NCS

- FOUO

## SAFECOM Program 

-  President Bush launched the SAFECOM program in 2001 to improve the ability of our nation’s first responders to communicate and share information at all levels of government
-  Currently resides in the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) under the S&T Directorate of DHS
-  Customer base includes over 50,000 local and state public safety agencies and organizations (i.e. law enforcement, public health, disaster recovery) as well as 100 Federal agencies engaged in public safety disciplines
-  Objectives:
- Research, test, and evaluate interoperability alternatives
- Develop standards to promote wireless interoperability
- Develop a national architecture to assist in the progression towards wireless interoperability
- Coordinate the Federal government’s wireless interoperability investments

- FOUO

## Integrated Wireless Network (IWN) Program 

-  IWN program is a joint wireless communications system operated by the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, and Treasury designed to support Federal law enforcement and homeland security operations in the U.S.
-  DHS IWN responsibilities are managed by the Wireless Management Office in the DHS Management Directorate
-  Goals:
- Meet Departments’ functional and operational requirements for tactical wireless communication
- Improve communications interoperability among law enforcement agencies of DHS, DOJ, and Treasury
- Improve communications interoperability between Departments, state, local, and other federal law enforcement and homeland security agencies
- Achieve cost efficiencies
- Achieve efficient use of radio spectrum and compliance with NTIA narrowband mandate

- FOUO

## Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (ICTAP) 

-  Mission is to provide free technical assistance to cities and States that have received grants from DHS to enhance interoperable communications
-  Funded by the Office of Grants and Training (G&T) in the Preparedness Directorate to provide guidance and suggestions to the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) sites
-  Goal is to enable local public safety agencies to communicate as they prevent or respond to a weapons of mass destruction attack and/or other disaster. ICTAP also works with other Federal, State, and local interoperability efforts whenever possible to enhance the overall capacity for agencies and individuals to communicate with one another

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07

-  Signed by President Bush October 4, 2006.  Included were amendments to the Homeland Security Action of 2002.  The most prominent features that impact CS&C include:
- Establishment of the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC)
- Establishment of Emergency Communications Preparedness Center (ECPC)
- Creation of a “new” FEMA
- Formation of Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07 (con’t.)

-  Office of Emergency Communications
- Subtitle D of the Appropriations Act creates Title XVIII, “Emergency Communications” which describes OEC responsibilities of the OEC, outline congressionally mandated reports for the office, and establish Emergency Communications Preparedness Center and the Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups
- Assigns Director of Emergency Communications as head of OEC reporting  to the Assistant Secretary for Cybersecurity and Communications

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07 (con’t.)

-  **OEC responsibilities focus on communications interoperability**
- Administer SAFECOM, excluding elements related to research, development, testing, evaluation, and standards which remain in S&T
- Administer IWN
- Conduct extensive, nationwide outreach to support and promote the ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and other man-made disasters
-  Coordinate, in cooperation with NCS, the establishment of national response capability with initial and ongoing planning, implementation, and training for the deployment of communications equipment for relevant State, local, and tribal governments and emergency response providers
- Assist President, NSC, HSC, and OMB in ensuring the continued operation of the telecommunications functions and responsibilities of the Federal Government, excluding spectrum management

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07 (con’t.)

-  Emergency Communications Preparedness Center (ECPC)
- Similar construct to NCS
- Established through an MOU between DHS, FCC, DOD, Commerce, DOJ and “other Federal Departments and agencies”
- Serves as focal point for interagency clearinghouse concerning intergovernmental information to support and promote:
- Ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to communicate in disasters and acts of terrorism
- Interoperable emergency communications
- Annual reporting requirement to provide Congress an assessment regarding efforts of Federal departments and agencies to advance the ability of emergency response providers and government officials to communicate in the event of disaster.  The report also focuses on interoperable emergency communications

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07 (con’t.)

-  **“****New” FEMA**
- Subtitle A of the Appropriations Act, amends Title V of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, titled “National Emergency Management”
- Background
- FEMA headed by an Administrator designated as a member of the Cabinet at the discretion of the President in the event of a disaster
- Functions of the Preparedness Directorate transfer to FEMA with exception of the Office of Infrastructure Protection, the NCS, the National Cybersecurity Division (NCSD) and Office of the Chief Medical Officer
- FEMA Regional Offices, headed by a SES Regional Administrator, will include Regional Advisory Councils, quick response Strike Teams, and Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07 (con’t.)

-  **“****New” FEMA (con’t.)**
- Areas pertinent to CS&C responsibilities:
- FEMA Administrator responsible for “helping ensure acquisition of operable and interoperable communications capabilities by Federal, State, local and tribal governments and emergency response providers”
- FEMA Regional Administrators responsible for coordinating establishment of effective regional operable and interoperable emergency communications
- An ESF #2 representative is a member of each Region’s Strike Team.  NCS is the Primary Agency for ESF #2
- FEMA will develop and operate Federal Response Capability Inventory and  catalog of “emergency communications assets maintained by the Federal Government and if appropriate, State, local and tribal governments and the private sector”

- FOUO

## DHS Appropriations Act, FY-07 (con’t.)

-  **“****New” FEMA (con’t.)**
- Regional Emergency Communications Coordination (RECC) Working Groups
- Each of FEMA’s 10 Regional Centers have a RECC WG to assess survivability, sustainability and interoperability of local emergency communications
- Responsible for coordinating Federal, State, local and tribal support services and networks designed to address immediate critical human needs in response to an incident.  Responsible for “ensuring a process for the coordination of effective multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency emergency communications networks
- Annual requirement to report Region’s progress in building robust and sustainable interoperable voice and data emergency communications networks to the FEMA, OEC, FCC and the Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, DOC

- FOUO

## Issues and Considerations

- Mission Overlap between NCS and Title XVIII Functions
- NS/EP Support to Executive Office of the President
- Federal Department and Agency Coordination (ECPC/COP)
- Communications Support to Disaster Response
- CS&C Organizational Structure
- Accounting for NCS/Title XVIII Overlap
- Integrating NCS and NCSD Functions
- Potential Mission Overlap with FEMA
- Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Groups
- “Acquisition of Operable and Interoperable Communications Capabilities”
- Federal Response Capability Inventory
- Resource transfer from SAFECOM, IWN and ICTAP
- SAFECOM “research, development, testing and evaluation and standards” will continue to reside in the Office for Interoperability and Compatibility

## Backup Slide

- FOUO

## ESF #2 Response

- Near-term support focuses on portable devices such as Land Mobile Radio, cellular, portable satellite, interoperability equipment, satellite and terrestrial backhaul, communication vans, tower/equipment repair services, and similar solutions

**Local EOC**

**COW**

**Multi-Comm **
**Van**

**LMR**

**HF**

**Cell**
**Tower**

**Cell**
**Tower**