---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 5185"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "5185"
heading: "Emergency communications"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/5185"
units:
  - "Chapter 68 — Disaster Relief"
  - "Subchapter IV — Major Disaster Assistance Programs"
---

# §5185. Emergency communications


The President is authorized during, or in anticipation of, an [emergency](/usc/42/5122.md?p=1) or [major disaster](/usc/42/5122.md?p=2) to establish temporary communications systems and to make such communications available to [State](/usc/42/5122.md?p=4) and [local government](/usc/42/5122.md?p=8) officials and other persons as he deems appropriate.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 93–288, title IV, § 418, formerly § 415, May 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 158; renumbered § 418, Pub. L. 100–707, title I, § 106(j), Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4705.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 418 of Pub. L. 93–288 was renumbered section 421 by Pub. L. 100–707 and is classified to section 5188 of this title.