NGA issued this White Paper summarizing lessons learned and recommendations following the execution of the Policy Academies to help five states (Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois, Utah and West Virginia) build governance for emergency communications.

Governors, who have authority over state agencies and the ability to convene key stakeholders, are central to helping states solve challenges related to interoperability and governance. Toward that end, the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) launched the Policy Academy on Enhancing Emergency Communications Interoperability.

The following recommendations are derived from lessons learned during the policy academy, which can help guide states’ efforts to strengthen and sustain emergency communications:

• Governors can establish, or reinvigorate, an active governance body to ensure consensus, coordination and support;
• Public safety personnel can revitalize and take advantage of the statewide communication interoperability plan (SCIP) with a messaging strategy that informs executive decisionmakers;
• Governors and staff can engage the legislature to promote understanding and long-term support of the SCIP; and
• Governors can empower the statewide interoperability coordinator (SWIC), and ensure close coordination among the SWIC, the broadband point of contact and the state 9-1-1 administrator to support the state’s SCIP.