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Disaster Emergency Communications

Our Mission

Enable interoperable communications to ensure coordination and collaboration among Federal, State, Tribal, Territorial, and local (F/S/T/T/L) governments, as well as the private sector and non-governmental organizations; Enable effective and efficient Federal disaster response and recovery by providing Operational Communications support (Voice, video, and data) to first responders in coordination with other mission partners, stakeholders, and survivors; Support all-hazard emergency management across the entire disaster management lifecycle - preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery.

What We Do

We deploy, install, operate, maintain and protect telecommunications, logistics, and operations assets in support of planned special events and in response to disasters, assist citizens and first responders. We prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from and mitigate all hazards.

We provide disaster emergency communications through six geographically dispersed Mobile Emergency Response Support detachments and a pre-positioned fleet of Mobile Communications Office Vehicles.

We assist State, Local, Tribal and Territorial entities in mitigating their disaster emergency communications risks and requirements to support life-saving efforts, protect property, and coordinate response and recovery operations.

We deliver operational communications capabilities needed to save lives, minimize suffering, and protect property. 

Disaster Emergency Communications Mobile Emergency Response Support Lines of Effort By:

  • Providing self-sustaining telecommunications, logistics and operations support through staff, equipment and equipment assets that are immediately deployable to support a large disaster field office and multiple field operating sites within the disaster area.
  • Directing rapid deployments of the MERS Detachments by providing strategic level DEC resource augmentation to facilitate effective communications, information exchanges, and whole community support during emergencies.
  • Deploying mobile communications office vehicles, which serve as multi-purpose central office facilities activated for FEMA’s response and recovery to and from a disaster, with workstations and satellite communications that provide voice and data connectivity to the FEMA network, enabling us to support disaster survivors.  Use mobile communications office vehicles as mobile disaster recovery centers during initial deployment allowing disaster survivors to apply for assistance.
  • Assisting State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial entities in mitigating their disaster emergency communications risks and requirements to support life-saving efforts, protect property, and coordinate response and recovery operations. 

Stakeholder Support

  • Coordinate support with other federal response partners for connectivity and tactical communications capabilities (e.g., land mobile radio, satellite, high frequency, data and cellular capabilities) to enable incident-site command and control and in support of the Federal and State, Local Tribal Territorial incident area responders, emergency mangers, and survivors in impacted areas.
  • Coordinates all communications resource requests with the Operation Section Chief and/or assigned DEC Group Supervisor(s) at the incident site and provides situational awareness for Regional Emergency Communications Coordinator personnel at the Regional Response Coordination Center.
  • Assist with identification and coordination of resources required for long-term restoration of critical infrastructure, key resources and community lifelines.
  • Assess and addresses survivability, sustainability, and interoperability of local emergency communications systems to meet the goals of the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP).