Five public safety groups wrote lawmakers yesterday to express concern that a proposed reorganization of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) would overshadow the role of the Office of Emergency Communications (OEC).

In letters to the chairmen and ranking members of the House and Senate homeland security committees, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Municipal Signal Association, the National Association of State EMS Officials, and the National Sheriffs’ Association noted that under the reorganization, OEC would become part of a new Infrastructure Security (IS) subcomponent within a new Cyber and Infrastructure Protection (CIP) operation.

“Public Safety has made it clear over the years to DHS that emergency communications are key to a successful response to terrorism, natural disasters and day-to-day public safety operations,” the groups said in their letters. “Interoperability remains an issue for public safety communications and was a key finding in the 9/11 Commission Report. OEC, and the SAFECOM Program within the OEC, has always been a state- and local-focused program to address improvements for public safety communications and interoperability.

“From our review of DHS’ Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Report to Congress on the proposed reorganization, OEC would be a component of an organization with a primary focus on infrastructure protection. While important, this is not the role of OEC,” the groups added. “At a time when the need for interoperable communications is greater than ever with terrorism and natural disasters, this proposed reorganization will potentially create a situation in which emergency communications will receive less focus instead of the greater focus which is needed. The budget of OEC over the last five fiscal years has been cut from almost $44 million in FY 2011 to $34 million in FY 2016. In the President’s proposed FY 2017 budget, OEC does not even have a transparent budget line. Its funding has been merged into the proposed IS budget.”

“We understand DHS has proposed as part of this reorganization, that regardless of this law, DHS in the future will have sole discretion to move resources including funding as they see fit within the new CIP. We are very concerned with this provision, particularly given that the President’s budget proposes to eliminate OEC’s transparent funding line,” the letters added. “The undersigned organizations believe that a greater focus on emergency communications is needed and OEC should be its own operational subcomponent in the new CIP. We also believe that OEC should have its own transparent budget line and that the legislative branch should approve any future proposed changes in funding and personnel levels for OEC. … In our view, a consolidation needs to be accomplished without diminishing the important focus of state and local public safety communications.”

 This is not the first time that the public safety community has been concerned about the impact on OEC of a DHS reorganization. DHS’s consolidation of the National Communications System (NCS) and OEC raised concerns in 2012 (TRDaily, Oct. 17, 2012).

In response to the latest concerns expressed by the public safety groups, DHS spokesman Scott McConnell told TRDaily today, “The Office of Emergency Communications plays a key role in the Department of Homeland Security’s mission and in ensuring the safety and security of the American public.  DHS has proposed changes to its National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) that will strengthen support for public safety and ensure the resilience of emergency communications nationwide.  We appreciate feedback from our stakeholders and continue to be open to discussing how changes to NPPD’s current structure can ensure we are able to effectively carry out our mission, including the critical programs run by the Office of Emergency Communications.” – Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily