About the Office of Emergency Communications

Mission

The mission of the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) is to support and promote the ability of emergency responders and government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters, and work to ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable and operable emergency communications nationwide.

Leadership and Organization

OEC was created by Congress in response to the communications challenges witnessed during Hurricane Katrina. Established through the Fiscal Year 2007 Appropriations Act, the Office was stood up on April 1, 2007. Former Commonwealth of Virginia Interoperability Coordinator Chris Essid was appointed as OEC's first Director—a position he maintains today.

OEC's programs and activities align with four major initiatives:

National and Statewide Plans

Federal, state, and local agencies are working together now to plan for the future. Efforts such as OEC's national plan, aligned to individual state plans, help advance interoperability in a structured, agreed-upon approach.

For more information on interoperability planning:

• National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP)
  • NECP Goals 
• Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans 

Stakeholder Partnerships

OEC relies on stakeholder input to identify the challenges emergency responders face every day. This information shapes national policy as well as OEC's programs and projects.

OEC's partnerships across levels of government include:

• State, Local, and Tribal
  • SAFECOM Executive Committee and Emergency Response Council 
  • Statewide Interoperability Coordinators 
  • Regional Coordination 
• Federal
  • Emergency Communications Preparedness Center 

Learn more about the importance of partnerships.

Assistance for Stakeholders

OEC provides the emergency response community with training, guidance tools, and onsite assistance to improve interoperable communications.

Efforts include:

• Office of Emergency Communications Technical Assistance Program
  • Communications Unit
• Guidance Documents and Publications
  • National Interoperability Field Operations Guide

Emergency Communications Grants

Interoperable communications programs encompass a wide range of activities—including purchasing new equipment, hosting state meetings, and conducting training—that require significant funding. OEC supports the coordination of grant guidance across the federal government and administers emergency communications grant programs that provide funding to state, local, and tribal partners.

Learn more about OEC's grant funding opportunities:

• Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program 
• Border Interoperability Demonstration Project 
• SAFECOM Grant Guidance for Federal Programs