"The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) supports the Secretary of Homeland Security in developing, implementing, and coordinating interoperable and operable communications for the emergency response community at all levels of government. The mission of the Office of Emergency Communications is to support and promote the ability of emergency responders and government officials to continue to communicate in the event of natural disasters, acts of terrorism, or other man-made disasters, and work to ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable and operable emergency communications nationwide. On October 4, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Department of Homeland Security Fiscal Year 2007 Appropriations Act, which established the OEC. The legislation assigned the OEC to the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Cybersecurity and Communications within the National Protection and Programs Directorate. OEC became operational on April 1, 2007". (DHS, OEC, 2007)