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Emergency Communications Month

GET CONNECTED AND STAY CONNECTED

CISA Logo

GET Connected and Stay Connected

This April, as we celebrate Emergency Communications Month, we are prioritizing the people who support the systems on which we rely and highlighting the role of emergency communications as a vital function. Most importantly, CISA is encouraging all emergency communications partners to “Get Connected and Stay Connected” by enrolling in the agency’s free priority telecommunications services.

Collaboration is in CISA’s DNA and is the foundation of our emergency communications mission – our stakeholders identify their challenges and guide the development of resources to address those challenges. Because this message is so important, the CISA has designated April as Emergency Communications Month.

Through its emergency communications mission, CISA conducts extensive, nationwide outreach to support and promote the ability of emergency response providers and government officials to be able to communicate in the event of a natural disaster, terrorist act, or other hazard. CISA also provides guidance on how facilities can establish protocols for identifying and reporting significant cyber incidents to appropriate facility personnel, local law enforcement, and the agency.

Graphic with blue background and white words saying, "Enroll in GET and WPS today"

Ensure your priority call goes through

When you get a "busy" or an "all circuits are busy" tone during an emergency or adverse conditions, using Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) or Wireless Priority Service (WPS) helps get your call through to its destination.

Enroll Now

During the month, CISA will also recognize and celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW), which is held annually during the second week of April to honor telecommunications personnel for their commitment, service, and sacrifice. Visit CISA Emergency Communications as well as our SAFECOM and NCWIC pages for more information and resources. 

Guides and Best Practices

These resources provide guidance and best practices to improve emergency communication planning. 

Radio Frequency Interference Best Practices Guidebook

JUN 01, 2020 | PUBLICATION
This guidebook provides an overview of the different types of radio frequency interference, summarizes ongoing efforts to enhance awareness and mitigation, and offers strategies to recognize and resolve incidents.
Download File (PDF, 1.21 MB)

Operational Best Practices for Encryption Key Management

AUG 01, 2020 | PUBLICATION
This document thoroughly explores encryption challenges relevant to public safety LMR systems and provides the public safety community with specific encryption key management best practices and case studies that illustrate the importance of secure communications.
Download File (PDF, 3 MB)

Emergency Communications Technical Assistance and Planning Guide

JAN 02, 2021 | PUBLICATION
This guide includes several virtual TA and SCIP workshop options to accommodate the current social distancing requirements. CISA's offerings are provided to all 56 states and territories and Native American and Alaska Native tribes at no cost and may be requested at any time.
Download File (PDF, 2.36 MB)

Public Safety Resources

Public safety is the core of CISA's Emergency Communications mission. These resources provide guidance for various intersections between communication and public safety.

CISA's Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit

Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit

MAR 24, 2023 | EXTERNAL
An interactive graphic describing the Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit developed to assist public safety agencies and others responsible for communications networks in evaluating current resiliency capabilities.
Public Safety Communications and Cyber Resiliency Toolkit

Cyber Risks to Public Safety: Ransomware

PUBLICATION
This resource provides an overview on ransomware and its potential impact on public safety operations. CISA encourages organizations to plan and prepare for a ransomware event to mitigate service disruptions, conduct effective response operations, and ensure rapid recovery.
Download File (PDF, 380.44 KB)

Public Safety Communications Dependencies on Non-Agency Infrastructure and Services

MAY 17, 2021 | PUBLICATION
This white paper provides several examples of infrastructure and service dependencies that public safety agencies might have on non-agency entities. Agencies might engage in several activities to help secure system resiliency and continuity of services.
Download File (PDF, 1.04 MB)

Public Safety Unmanned Aircraft System Resource Guide

JAN 26, 2023 | PUBLICATION
This guide provides stakeholders with information on UAS, their impacts on public safety operations, and how the public safety community can establish their own drone programs, if needed.
Download File (PDF, 362.87 KB)
Ten key icons

Public Safety Communications: Ten Keys to Improving Emergency Alerts, Warnings, and Notifications

PUBLICATION
Best practices alert originators, managers, system administrators, system operators, and emergency managers from government and non-government organizations can leverage to improve whole-community public emergency messaging.
Download File (PDF, 755.11 KB)
NG911 icon

Next Generation 911

MAR 28, 2023 | PUBLICATION
This page provides resources and tools to help identify, document, and develop informational products and refine innovative concepts that will facilitate the transition to NG911.
View Files

Salute to Emergency Communications Coordinators: Stories from the Field

From planning to disaster response to assessments, our Emergency Communications Coordinators engage stakeholders across the nation and address the complex issues facing the emergency communications ecosystem.

Read Stories from the Field

Fact Sheets and Posters

These quick references provide a one-page overview of important emergency communication topics.

Encryption Key Management Fact Sheet

PUBLICATION
This fact sheet educates public safety organizations on how to effectively manage cryptographic keys for their radio systems and provides an overview of the various considerations for agencies desiring to encrypt their radios.
Download File (PDF, 110.01 KB)

Protect Your Center from Ransomware Poster

PUBLICATION
A customizable poster to hang around your center and inform employees about ransomware and the importance of protecting against attacks. 
Download File (PDF, 1.69 MB)

Priority Telecommunications Services

AUG 10, 2021 | PUBLICATION
Resources about CISA's Priority Telecommunications Services: Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS), Wireless Priority Service (WPS), Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP), and Next Generation Network Priority Service (NGN-PS) programs.
Download File (PDF, 337.37 KB)

Cyber Resiliency Resources for Public Safety Fact Sheet

PUBLICATION
CISA has compiled cyber resiliency resources provided by the federal government, industry, and trade associations meant to defend against increasingly complex and sophisticated cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
Download File (PDF, 505.42 KB)

Videos

SAFECOM: Created by Public Safety Stakeholders to Strengthen Emergency Communications

National Emergency Communications Plan

Basics of P25

Encryption in Three Minutes

NG911 Self-Assessment Tool Demo

An Extraordinary Day

Blogs

The Next Frontier in Priority Services Capabilities: Multimedia Applications And Information Services Over Wi-Fi, Cellular, and Cable Networks

DEC 09, 2022 | BLOG
CISA developed the Next Generation Network Priority Services (NGN PS) program to provide priority voice, data, video, and information services to ensure all NS/EP users can communicate from anywhere and anytime.

Celebrating Telecommunicators Series: Preparing for Multimedia Use

APR 13, 2022 | BLOG
CISA salutes and honors telecommunications personnel and their dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. This article provides insight on how emergency communications centers/ public safety answering points are taking steps to receive multimedia.

Celebrating Telecommunicators Series: “Collaboration Across Federal, State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial (FSLTT) Agencies: How Telecommunicators Benefit”

APR 15, 2022 | BLOG
As states and localities across the nation transition to NG911, it is critical that FSLTT agencies collaborate to ensure seamless and efficient communication between federal and SLTT public safety and emergency communications agencies.

Celebrating Telecommunicators Series: CISA’s Celebration of Emergency Communications Month and National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week

APR 12, 2022 | BLOG
It is our honor to celebrate Emergency Communications Month and National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) and with you. We thank you for your commitment, service, and sacrifice to public safety. In honor of NPSTW, we would like to recognize you and share CISA initiati

SAFECOM and NCSWIC Resources

CISA's SAFECOM and NCSWIC resources are aimed at improving emergency response provider's emergency communications.

SAFECOM Interoperability Continuum Library

The SAFECOM resources library is organized according to the elements of the Interoperability Continuum.

SAFECOM Funding Resources

These resources are available to help state, local, tribal, and territorial governments to identify available funding sources, plan emergency communications projects for federal grants, and inform decision-makers on the importance of funding.

SAFECOM Nationwide Survey

The SAFECOM Nationwide Survey (SNS) is a nationwide data collection effort to obtain actionable and critical data that drives our nation’s emergency communication policies, programs, and funding. 

SWIC Factsheet

This factsheet provides an overview of the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) including their history, goals, and accomplishments. 

NCSWIC Membership

The NCSWIC Membership page offers an interactive map to view contact information for each region as well as a listing of NCSWIC leadership and executive committee members.

Hotwash Comment Card

Submit a comment card to NCSWIC using this template. The NCSWIC will use this information to improve offerings and lessons learned.

Checklist for Communications Technology in Training and Exercises

A checklist for Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (SWICs) when introducing new and emerging technologies to state trainings and exercises.

National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) Webinars

The National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) webinar series is designed to provide the public safety community with practical solutions intended to help organizations improve their emergency communications capabilities through the implementation of the NECP.

View Webinars
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