The National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) is the nation’s strategic plan to strengthen and enhance emergency communications capabilities. The NECP navigates the complex mission of maintaining and improving emergency communications capabilities for emergency responders and serves as the nation’s roadmap for ensuring emergency communications interoperability at all levels of government. The NECP establishes a shared vision for emergency communications and assists those who plan for, coordinate, invest in, and use operable and interoperable communications for response and recovery operations. This includes traditional emergency responder disciplines and other partners from the whole community that share information during incidents and planned events.
Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended, requires that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) develop the NECP to “provide recommendations regarding how the United States should support and promote the ability of emergency response providers and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of disasters and to ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable emergency communications nationwide.” The law also directs CISA to develop and periodically update the NECP in coordination with federal, state, local, territorial, tribal, and private sector stakeholders.
NECP Vision
Enable the nation’s emergency response community to communicate and share information securely across communications technologies in real time, including all levels of government, jurisdictions, disciplines, organizations, and citizens impacted by any threats or hazardous events.
National Priorities
- Enhance effective governance among partners with a stake in emergency communications, embracing a shared responsibility of the whole community from traditional emergency responders and supporting entities to the citizens served
- Address interoperability challenges posed by rapid technology advancements and increased information sharing, ensuring the most critical information gets to the right people at the right time
- Build resilient and secure emergency communications systems to reduce cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities
NECP Goals
Governance and Leadership
Develop and maintain effective emergency communications governance and leadership across the Emergency Communications Ecosystem
Planning and Procedures
Develop and update comprehensive emergency communications plans and procedures that address the evolution of risks, capabilities, and technologies across the Emergency Communications Ecosystem
Training, Exercises and Evaluation
Develop and deliver training, exercise, and evaluation programs that enhance knowledge of and target gaps in all available emergency communications technologies
Communications Coordination
Improve effective coordination of available operable and interoperable public safety communications capabilities for incidents and planned events
Technology and Infrastructure
Improve lifecycle management of the systems and equipment that enable emergency responders and public safety officials to share information efficiently and securely
Cybersecurity
Strengthen the cybersecurity posture of the Emergency Communications Ecosystem
Read the NECP
Learn more about the nation's roadmap to ensuring emergency communications interoperability at all levels of government.
Webinars: Implementing the National Emergency Communications Plan
Designed to provide the public safety community with practical solutions, this webinar series helps organizations improve their emergency communications capabilities through the implementation of the NECP.