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National Coordinating
Center Celebrates Silver Anniversary April 3
Dr. Peter Fonash (left), the Department
of Homeland Security's Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Cybersecurity and Communications,
presents a plaque to National Communications System Chief
of Staff Allen F. Woodhouse, marking the 25th Anniversary
of the National Coordinating Center (NCC) for Communications
during ceremonies in
Arlington, April 6.
(Photo by Steve Barrett, NCS)
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Arlington
VA, April 03, 2009 - The
National Communications System’s (NCS) National Coordinating
Center (NCC) for Communications celebrates its 25th anniversary
today in Arlington, Virginia. This silver anniversary is testimony
to the rich and long history of the NCC, its trusted federal
and private industry partnerships, and the lead role it plays
in disaster response and recovery in fulfillment of its national
security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications
responsibilities.
“I am very proud to be the NCC Manager
at such an auspicious time,” said John O’Connor,
who assumed duties as the NCC Manager last July. “The
NCC is a prime example of the coordination, response, and
mitigation activities that result when government and industry
work together,” he added. “We look forward to
serving our country in a similar fashion for the next 25 years.”
The President’s National Security Telecommunications
Advisory Committee (NSTAC) recommended that President Ronald
Reagan create a government industry staffed NCC as the focal
point for handling emergency telecommunications. The federal
government realized the necessity to engage private industry
since the private sector owns and operates the vast majority
of the Nation’s communications infrastructure. On April
3, 1984, the NCS created the NCC to assist in the initiation,
coordination, restoration, and reconstitution of NS/EP telecommunications
services or facilities in all crises or emergencies.
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Over the years, the NCC continued its role in protecting the Nation’s
communications infrastructure. A critical step in that regard was
Presidential Decision Directive-63 – signed by President Bill
Clinton on May 22, 1998 – establishing Information Sharing
and Analysis Centers (ISAC). The role of an ISAC is to facilitate
the exchange of information between government and industry representatives
regarding vulnerability, threat, intrusion, and anomaly information
affecting the communications infrastructure. On January 18, 2000,
the White House designated the NCC as the Communication ISAC.
John O’Connor (right), Manager
of the National Coordinating Center (NCC) for Communications,
listens to reports from communications industry members during
its weekly conference call at the National Communications
System on April 6. Joining O’Connor are (counterclockwise)
Jeffrey Glick, Chief of the NCS Critical Infrastructure Protection
Branch; Chris Oberg of Verizon Wireless, Roger Higgins of
Verizon Business, Allison Growney of Sprint-Nextel, and Harry
Underhill of AT&T.
(Photo by Steve Barrett)
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Today,
the NCC partnership includes over 50 members of the telecommunications
and information system industry as well as the representatives
from nine federal government entities. The representation
of the Nation’s wireline and wireless service providers,
equipment vendors, internet service providers, satellite industry,
broadcast, and cable industry within the NCC make it the ideal
forum to execute ISAC responsibilities for the communications
sector.
“Everything we do in our role of providing
national security and emergency preparedness communications
rests on how well we prepare, react, and respond to disasters
and emergencies that affect the lives of our citizens,”
said Allen F. Woodhouse, the NCS Chief of Staff. “For
25 years, the National Coordinating Center has been the centerpiece
of our efforts to coordinate with our communications industry
partners to provide emergency communications,” he added.
“The NCC is a proven government industry asset that
continues to grow and improve as technology advances and emergency
commitments increase.”
During times of crises, the NCS is the coordinating
agency for Emergency Support Function- 2 (Communications)
under the National Response Framework. The NCC, as the operational
arm of the NCS, executes its ESF-2 responsibilities in coordinating
communications infrastructure restoration.
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Since its inception, the NCC has coordinated the restoration
and provisioning of NS/EP telecommunication services and facilities
during natural and man-made including:
- The 2008 hurricane season during which 17 named storms, four
hurricanes and three tropical storms, threatened or made landfall
in the United States. The Gulf Coast region was hit especially
hard by hurricanes Dolly, Gustav and Ike, all of which made landfall
as Category 2 hurricanes. Through the efforts of the NCC, the
NCS was able to assist and coordinate the timely restoration of
communications throughout the region.
- In 2005, throughout hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita, the
NCS – as the ESF-2 lead – facilitated industry and
Government coordination to provide Federal, State and local government
entities in the affected regions with communications connectivity,
including:
- Providing mobile and satellite communications systems and
equipment;
- Providing commercial emergency mobile assets;
- Issuing Government Emergency Telecommunications Service
(GETS) cards, Wireless Priority Service (WPS) cellular phones,
and assisted with over 1500 Telecommunications Service Priority
(TSP) requests, and;
- Assisting Industry in the facilitation of access, security
and fuel priorities for the recovery of the communications
infrastructure
- During the recovery efforts following the terrorist attacks
of September 11, 2001, the NCC provided national and regional
level support for response and recovery efforts to government
and industry organizations and personnel. The NCC prioritized
the communications assets and restoration efforts, thereby meeting
NS/EP telecommunications needs. A major accomplishment was helping
to ensure the successful opening and continued operation of the
financial markets.
- The NCC served as the collection point for network status information
for the telecommunications industry during the Year 2000 (Y2K)
rollover. Over 80 companies nationally and internationally provided
status updates into a Y2K database located in the NCC.
For over two decades, the NCS and its NCC have been
engaged in nearly every man-made and natural disaster. The NCC continues
to be the model for Federal and private industry cooperation. Through
its trusted and long standing partnerships, the NCC will remain
the focal point for the restoration and reconstitution of NS/EP
communications.
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