---
kind: "section"
citation: "6 U.S.C. § 572"
title: "6"
title_heading: "Domestic Security"
number: "572"
heading: "National Emergency Communications Plan"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/6/572"
units:
  - "Chapter 1 — Homeland Security Organization"
  - "Subchapter XIII — Emergency Communications"
---

# §572. National Emergency Communications Plan

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/6/101.md?p=16), acting through the Assistant [Director](/usc/6/677a.md?p=3) for [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications, and in cooperation with the [Department](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) of National Communications System (as appropriate), shall, in cooperation with [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16), Federal [departments](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) and [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1), [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6), and the private sector, develop not later than 180 days after the completion of the baseline assessment under [section 573 of this title](/usc/6/573.md), and periodically update, a National [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Plan to provide recommendations regarding how the [United States](/usc/6/101.md?p=19-A) should—
  - (1) support and promote the ability of [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6) and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters; and
  - (2) ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications nationwide.
- (b) **Coordination—** The [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Preparedness [Center](/usc/6/681.md?p=1) under [section 576 of this title](/usc/6/576.md) shall coordinate the development of the Federal aspects of the National [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Plan.
- (c) **Contents—** The National [Emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) Communications Plan shall—
  - (1) include recommendations developed in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission and the National Institute of Standards and Technology for a process for expediting national [voluntary](/usc/6/671.md?p=6-A) consensus standards for [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications equipment for the purchase and use by public safety [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) of interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications equipment and technologies;
  - (2) identify the appropriate capabilities necessary for [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6) and relevant government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters;
  - (3) identify the appropriate interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications capabilities necessary for Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) in the event of natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters;
  - (4) recommend both short-term and long-term solutions for ensuring that [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6) and relevant government officials can continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters;
  - (5) recommend both short-term and long-term solutions for deploying interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications systems for Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16) throughout the Nation, including through the provision of existing and emerging technologies;
  - (6) identify how Federal [departments](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) and [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1) that respond to natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), and other man-made disasters can work effectively with [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16), in all [States](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), and with other [entities](/usc/6/301c.md?p=2);
  - (7) identify obstacles to deploying interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications capabilities nationwide and recommend short-term and long-term measures to overcome those obstacles, including recommendations for multijurisdictional coordination among Federal, [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16);
  - (8) recommend goals and timeframes for the deployment of [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6), command-level communications systems based on new and existing equipment across the [United States](/usc/6/101.md?p=19-A) and develop a timetable for the deployment of interoperable [emergency](/usc/6/701.md?p=6) communications systems nationwide;
  - (9) recommend appropriate measures that [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6) should employ to ensure the continued operation of relevant governmental communications infrastructure in the event of natural disasters, acts of [terrorism](/usc/6/101.md?p=18), or other man-made disasters; and
  - (10) set a date, including interim benchmarks, as appropriate, by which [State](/usc/6/101.md?p=17), local, and [tribal governments](/usc/6/701.md?p=16), Federal [departments](/usc/6/101.md?p=5) and [agencies](/usc/6/671.md?p=1), and [emergency response providers](/usc/6/101.md?p=6) expect to achieve a baseline level of national interoperable communications, as that term is defined under [section 194(g)(1) of this title](/usc/6/194.md?p=g-1).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 107–296, title XVIII, § 1802, as added Pub. L. 109–295, title VI, § 671(b), Oct. 4, 2006, 120 Stat. 1435; amended Pub. L. 110–53, title III, § 301(d), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 300; Pub. L. 115–278, § 2(g)(6)(B), Nov. 16, 2018, 132 Stat. 4179.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Another section 1802 of Pub. L. 107–296 was renumbered section 1902 and is classified to section 592 of this title.

### Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–278 substituted “Assistant Director for Emergency Communications” for “Director for Emergency Communications” in introductory provisions.

2007—Subsec. (c)(10). Pub. L. 110–53 added par. (10).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

Reference to the Assistant Director for Emergency Communications deemed to be a reference to the Executive Assistant Director for Emergency Communications, see section 571(g) of this title, enacted Jan. 1, 2021.