SAFECOM Members:

On behalf of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, I am releasing the FY 2020 SAFECOM Guidance on Emergency Communications Grants (SAFECOM Guidance), which has been posted to the SAFECOM website at: https://www.dhs.gov/safecom/funding.  SAFECOM Guidance is updated annually to provide relevant information on policies, eligible costs, technical standards, and best practices for state, territorial, tribal, and local grant recipients investing federal funds in emergency communications projects.  While only entities funding emergency communications projects with DHS/FEMA grant funding are required to comply with SAFECOM Guidance (see Appendix D), all entities are highly encouraged to follow the recommendations within this document to ensure interoperable, resilient, and fully effective communications.

In its fourteenth edition, SAFECOM Guidance continues to evolve to meet the needs of the public safety community.  This year's Guidance reflects the current emergency communications landscape, investment priorities, technical standards that help to ensure interoperability, and available supporting materials for implementing emergency communications grants.  Key changes to the Guidance include alignment to the recently updated National Emergency Communications Plan, including a new cybersecurity priority and resources for implementing emerging technologies.

As SAFECOM/NCSWIC members, thank you for your contribution to this year's Guidance and helping ensure that emergency communications policies are consistent across the Federal Government.  For questions or additional information on the SAFECOM Guidance, please email: ECD@cisa.dhs.gov.

Respectfully,

Vincent DeLaurentis

Acting Assistant Director for Emergency Communications

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency