Office of Emergency Communications (OEC)

The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) supports the Secretary of Homeland Security in developing, implementing, and coordinating interoperable and operable communications for the emergency response community at all levels of government.

The mission of the Office of Emergency Communications 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.

Congress established OEC in response to the communications challenges resulting from Hurricane Katrina through the Fiscal Year 2007 Appropriations Act. Opening its doors on April 1, 2007, OEC is the newest office within the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Cybersecurity and Communications within the National Protection and Programs Directorate.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) to address gaps and determine solutions so that emergency response personnel at all levels of government and across all disciplines can communicate as needed, on demand, and as authorized. OEC developed the NECP in cooperation with more than 150 public and private sector emergency communications officials. The department's new Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program will further enable states to align their plans with the NECP. (See also other related documents under "OEC Documents", top right)

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Emergency Communications has developed a new tool to assist with disaster response. The National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG) is a technical reference for radio technicians responsible for radios that will be used in disaster response applications, and for emergency communications planners. The NIFOG includes rules and regulations for use of nationwide and other interoperability channels, frequencies and channel names, and other reference material; formatted as a pocket-sized guide for radio technicians to carry with them. (See also other related documents under "OEC Documents", top right)

This National Response Framework (NRF) is a guide to how the Nation conducts all-hazards response. This document explains the common discipline and structures that have been exercised and matured at the local, tribal, State, and national levels over time. It describes key lessons learned from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, focusing particularly on how the Federal Government is organized to support communities and States in catastrophic incidents. Most importantly, it builds upon the National Incident Management System (NIMS), which provides a consistent template for managing incidents. (See also other related documents under "OEC Documents", top right)

Formerly the Emergency Communications Quarterly, the ECF is the latest evolution of OEC's stakeholder outreach efforts. The new ECF engages and informs the emergency responders; policy makers; and Federal, State, local, and tribal officials about issues and events that directly affect everyday nationwide emergency communications. The launch of the ECF has been guided by stakeholder feedback and is an effort to provide timely and relevant content. As we prepare for future editions please let us know what you think along the way at OEC@hq.dhs.gov.

Contribute a Story! – The ECF covers stories contributed by members of the emergency response community nationwide. If you are interested in submitting an article to the ECF regarding emergency communications in the field, best practices, and lessons learned; or if you have any feedback, suggestions, or upcoming conferences to include in the "Calendar of Events", please e-mail us at OEC@hq.dhs.gov. (See also other related documents under "OEC Documents", top right)