Office%20of%20Emergency%20Communications%20Briefing%20to%20the%20Joint%20Advisory%20Committee%20on%20Communications%20Capabilities%20of%20Emergency%20Medical%20and%20Public%20Health%20Care%20Facilities

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Office of Emergency CommunicationsBriefing to
the Joint Advisory Committee on Communications
Capabilities of Emergency Medical and Public
Health Care Facilities
Keith Young Office of Emergency Communications
28-Nov-07
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OEC What is it?Homeland Security Act of 2002
(2006)
Policy/Guidance development for strengthening
interoperable communications
The 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.
Our Mission Statement
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Some OEC Roles and Responsibilities

• Establish capabilities supporting seamless,
  interoperable communications across government at
  all levels
• Administer SAFECOM, ICTAP, and IWN
• Foster development of interoperable emergency
  communications capabilities
• Conduct outreach to State, local, tribal
  governments (S/L/T)
• Provide Technical Assistance (TA) in the use of
  interoperable emergency communications to S/L/T
• Promote Standard Operating Procedures, Best
  Practices, and tools for incident response
  interoperable emergency communications
  capabilities
• Support the Executive Branch as required

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OEC Coordination Requirements

• Coordinate with
• ST/Office for Interoperability and Compatibility
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• Chief Information Officer
• National Communications System
• National Cyber Security Division
• Emergency Response Community
• State, local, and tribal governments
• Other Departments and Agencies
• Industry partners
• Other stakeholders as required

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Public Safety Interoperability Communications
(PSIC) Grants and Statewide Plans

• OEC is participating in the PSIC Grant process
  with FEMA and NTIA
• OEC will
• Provide TA upon request
• Participate in Peer Reviews to evaluate and
  approve SCIPs
• Provide TA after SCIPs are approved, if needed

SCIPs and IJs are due on 3 December 2007
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The Importance of SCIPs

• The development of a locally-driven,
  multi-jurisdictional, multi-disciplinary SCIP
  will help States and localities
• Break down the planning, coordination, and
  cooperation barriers of the past
• Establish a coordinated vision and set strategic
  goals, objectives, and initiatives to enhance
  interoperability
• Advancing interoperability requires a partnership
  among emergency response organizations across all
  levels of government
• SCIPs provide OEC with unprecedented data
  regarding the nations level of communications
  operability and interoperability
• SCIP plans identify status within the key
  elements of the Interoperability Continuum
• SCIP plans provide OEC with an understanding of
  strategic interoperable planning and
  implementation efforts across the nations

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National Communications Baseline Assessment

• Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002,
  Section 1803, specifically addresses development
  of a National Communications Baseline Assessment
• The National Communications Baseline Assessment
  will
• Define the range of capabilities needed for
  natural disasters, acts of terrorism and other
  man-made disasters for first responders and
  relevant government entities
• Assess current capabilities
• Identify seams, gaps, and obstacles
• Establish a national interoperable emergency
  communications inventory including Federal
  communications information
• FCC, Commerce, DOD, and others
• Foundational documents include
• Interoperability Continuum
• 2006 Baseline Survey
• Tactical Interoperable Communications Scorecards
• Tactical Interoperable Communications Plans
  (TICPs)
• SCIPsunder development
• Target Capabilities List

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National CommunicationsBaseline Assessment
OEC is taking a two-phased approach to ensure
inclusion of the SCIP and IJ submissions
Phase 1 (2007) 1) Leverages existing
assessments, surveys, TICPs, scorecards 2)
Interviews with Federal, local public safety
stakeholders

• Phase 2 (2008)
• Includes additional Federal, local agency, and
  private sector information
• Incorporates State, local, and tribal data found
  in SCIPs

The Result a range of capabilities needed by
the emergency response
providers and relevant government entities
National Emergency Communications Plan
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National Emergency Communications Plan

• In cooperation with State, local, and tribal
  governments, Federal departments and agencies,
  emergency response providers, and the private
  sector, OEC will develop a National Emergency
  Communications Plan (NECP) to
• Provide recommendations to support and promote
  the ability of practitioners and relevant
  government officials to continue to communicate
  in an event
• Ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable
  emergency communications nationwide

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The NECPSetting the Agenda for the Future

• Going forward, the NECP sets OECs Title 18
  Agenda
• Emergency Communications Grant Programs and
  Guidance
• Must be coordinated and consistent with NECP
  goals and recommendations
• SCIPs and IJs must be consistent with the NECP
• No IECGP grants will be awarded until the NECP is
  submitted
• Future Assessments and Reports
• Measuring progress in meeting NECP goals and
  recommendations
• Emergency Communications Preparedness Center
• Annual Strategic Assessment must consider NECP
  goals
• RECC Assessments of the survivability,
  sustainability, and interoperability of local
  systems
• Annual reports on the progress of regions in
  meeting NECP goals

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Emergency Communications Preparedness Center

• Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act, 2007,
  as amended, establishes the Emergency
  Communications Preparedness Center (ECPC) as

• Focal Point and Clearinghouse
• The ECPC shall serve as the focal point for
  Federal agencies as a clearinghouse for
  activities on interoperable emergency
  communications. The ECPC shall support and
  promote
• The capability of emergency response providers
  and associated government officials to continue
  to communicate
• Reduce the duplication of efforts
• Impediments to achieving interoperable emergency
  communications
• Strategic Assessment
• ECPC shall prepare an annual strategic assessment
  regarding the coordination efforts of Federal
  departments and agencies to advance interoperable
  communications.

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