Emergency Communication

The ability to communicate and share information during emergencies is critical, especially in a region as large and complex as metropolitan Washington. Past incidents, most notably 9/11, highlight the need for officials to quickly connect with each other to coordinate decisions across various local, state, and federal agencies. Governments also need tools to communicate messages to the public, and the public must be assured it can contact public safety providers without fail.

COG has helped enhance emergency communication among officials across the region in a variety of ways.

• After 9/11, COG created and maintains the Regional Incident Communication and Coordination System (RICCS), a 24/7 system that helps officials communicate during emergencies.
• COG coordinates regional conference calls for snow or other weather-related emergencies where leaders discuss conditions and make decisions on operating statuses, such as closing government offices. For example, the snow calls bring together the National Weather Service, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), transportation agencies, local jurisdictions, and other partners to discuss conditions and make decisions in a regional context.
• Area governments work with COG to ensure the 9-1-1 system’s reliability and plan for future technological advancements.
• Government officials also work with COG to build and maintain citizen warning systems able to rapidly alert residents with vital information. Jurisdictions may send alerts over the federal Wireless Emergency Alerts system or via their own alert networks.