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NCS Committee of Principals Focuses on Hurricane Preparation

Arlington VA, June 10, 2009 - Members of the National Communications System’s (NCS) Committee of Principals focused its June 10 meeting on hurricane preparedness efforts -- reporting on their agency’s accomplishments, training efforts, and contingency communications plans for the 2009 hurricane season that began June 1.

In his remarks to committee members, NCS Director James Madon emphasized the importance of having the Federal Government’s communications resources ready should the need for assistance arise during the hurricane season. He said the Federal Government responded well last year during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, but agencies must continue their efforts to ensure emergency response communications efforts remain solid.

To emphasize what the country may face in 2009, the committee members received a briefing from Dr. Gerald Bell, Lead Seasonal Hurricane Forecaster with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. During his session, Dr. Bell indicated that the United States remains in a “high-activity” era for hurricanes. He told COP members that the nation could see from 9 to 14 tropical storms, of which 4 to 7 storms could become hurricanes with the possibility of 1 to 3 major hurricanes in 2009.

Dr. Bell emphasized that with the likelihood of a busy storm season, saying that hurricane preparedness “is critical regardless of the seasonal outlook.” He told the COP members that they are the first line of defense when it comes to communications – “Make your plan and be prepared.”

Following the hurricane briefing, each member of the committee outlined their organizations efforts for the upcoming season. These efforts placed high emphasis on training and exercises with other federal departments and agencies; planning continuity of operations efforts, ensuring emergency response personnel had access to NCS priority communications services such as the Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and Wireless Priority Service (WPS) and understanding the role of their agencies under Emergency Support Function-2 of the National Response Framework.

The NCS Committee of Principals – created by Executive Order 12472 – is a presidentially designated interagency group that provides advice and recommendations on national security and emergency preparedness telecommunications to the Executive Office of the President. It is composed of high-level Government officials representing Federal operational, policy, regulatory, and enforcement organizations.

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