Emergency Communications

No matter what the emergency, communications remain a vital component to keeping America safe, secure, and resilient.

Emergency Communications Overview

Ensuring effective emergency communications is a key part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mission to strengthen national preparedness and resilience.
Office of Emergency Communications

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) supports and promotes 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 works to ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable and operable emergency communications nationwide.
National Emergency Communications Plan

The 2014 National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) provides information and guidance to those that plan for, coordinate, invest in, and use operable and interoperable communications for response and recovery operations.
Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS)

GETS supports national leadership; federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments; and other authorized national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) users.
Wireless Priority Service (WPS)

WPS supports national leadership; federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments; and other authorized NS/EP users. It is intended to be used in an emergency or crisis situation when the wireless network is congested and the probability of completing a normal call is reduced.
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)

Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) is a program that authorizes national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) organizations to receive priority treatment for vital voice and data circuits or other telecommunications services.
SAFECOM Program

Works to improve multi-jurisdictional and intergovernmental communications interoperability.
National Coordinating Center for Communications

Continuously monitors national and international incidents and events that may impact emergency communications.
SHAred RESources (SHARES) High Frequency (HF) Radio Program

The SHAred RESources (SHARES) High Frequency (HF) Radio program, administered by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) National Coordinating Center for Communications (NCC), provides
National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee

Meeting our Nation’s critical national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) challenges demands attention to many issues. Among these, none could be more important than the availability and reliability of telecommunication services.
Technical Assistance Program

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) Technical Assistance program serves all 56 states and territories and provides direct support to state, local, and tribal emergency responders and government officials.
MAPS

The DHS Office of Emergency Communications is committed to informing the development and distribution of mobile applications for first responders. OEC established the Mobile Applications for Public Safety (MAPS) project to promote consistent security, functionality and performance best practices in the development and adoption of mobile apps.