Public Safety, Communications & Emergency Management- you aren’t alone

Date: 09/18/2023
Start Time: 11:00am
End Time: 12:00pm
Room: Palm 4-6
Track: Tribal Government Technology
Speakers: Jessica Kaputa, Laura Goudreau

Today’s complex communications environment poses many challenges to the public safety community, especially to tribes with unique needs and infrastructure challenges. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has established programs, resources, and tools within the Emergency Communications Division (ECD) to directly assist sovereign tribes with assessing, enhancing, and utilizing communications technology, at no cost to tribal departments and agencies. The ECD Tribal Emergency Communications Team serves as a single point of contact to help tribes access these technical expertise, services, resources, and tools to help them strengthen and protect their communications systems and infrastructure and serve their communities. CISA’s technical assistance assists tribes in their efforts to maintain tribal sovereignty, build resiliency, and identify technology solutions flexible to meet a tribe’s communications needs. During this briefing, participants will learn about technical service offerings, programs, and resources available to tribes and how to access them. Participants are encouraged to articulate any challenges their tribe may face so that the presenters can identify potential support opportunities and resources during the Q&A session. Attendees will develop an understanding of the technical assistance service offerings to improve public safety communications infrastructure, governance, and usage in Indian Country; available at no cost. Also learn how CISA’s technical assistance can support tribes with developing and enhancing their public safety communications, emergency planning and preparedness, and long-term resilience. Will be able to identify an understanding of local staffing and resources available within each region to provide direct support to tribes and the process for tribes to directly request technical assistance to support public safety communications.