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Garcia Addresses Emergency Communications Training Conference

New Orleans June 28, 2007 - The Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications (CS&C) today applauded the diligence of Federal emergency communications responders and industry partners as they trained here to learn and improve on their ability to enhance communications response during emergencies.

Greg Garcia, the Department of Homeland Security’s Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security and Communications (CS&C), addresses Federal and industry emergency communications responders during a June 25 luncheon at the Emergency Support Function -2 Training Conference held in New Orleans. (Photo by Steve Barrett, National Communications System.)

Greg Garcia said, “The Department is striving to provide the best possible support to emergency communications response personnel during a national emergency by testing operational capabilities.”

Garcia was in New Orleans to observe Emergency Support Function-2 (ESF-2) training held June 19-28 at the InterContinental Hotel and Pan America Life Center. ESF-2 is one of 15 emergency support functions under the National Response Plan. CS&C through its component, the National Communications System (NCS), handles emergency communications requirements during a national emergency. The NCS is the Federal agency tasked to guide ESF-2: planning, training and operations.

“As you all know, we are well into the 2007 hurricane season, and the next call for Federal communications personnel may be a real-world disaster,” said Garcia. “What we learn here will pay great dividends to your regional areas and provide assets that can be deployed wherever assistance is needed. He said the work of the conference attendees will have a lasting impact on the Nation’s emergency preparedness and response posture, adding, the dedication of the men and women participating in this exercise is a clear reason for why our Nation will always be able to endure tragedies and grow stronger as a result of what we learn.”

Garcia commented that the incident responders participation, time and energy; and, their commitment to national preparedness during this exercise would provide the Department with crucial data and experience that will help the Government better serve in times of crisis.

Training exercises allow the Department to see firsthand in a controlled environment how communications and response activities are affected by catastrophic events. Training and exercises, like ESF-2 Training, allow us to fine-tune our systems, programs, policies, and most importantly our personnel. The information gained through this and other exercises is absolutely invaluable to helping the government to better prepare and coordinate response efforts. More importantly, mitigate impacts on those most affected.

The Assistant Secretary took time to thank members of the NCS and the Federal Communications Commission for teaming together to make the training “challenging, realistic and important to the readiness of our emergency response communications experts.” He also praised the important contributions of Federal agencies who participated in the exercise. Those agencies included: National Cyber Security Division, the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), as well as the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, General Services Administration (GSA), and elements from the Departments of Agriculture, State, Defense, and Energy.

Garcia also praised the involvement of the telecommunications private sector – well represented by their active participation in the nine-day exercise as team members, role players and advisors; as well as providing emergency communications displays in nearby Jefferson Parish – a display Garcia visited following his remarks.

In addition, Garcia participated in a tour of New Orleans’ lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish – areas devastated by the levee break that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and displaced thousands of residents. He also met with leaders of the Communications Information Sharing and Analysis Center, the Communications Sector Coordinating Council and the Industry Executive Subcommittee of the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (NSTAC)

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