The Department of Homeland Security announced today the selection of Chris Essid as Director of the Office of Emergency Communications within the department's National Protection and Programs Directorate.  In his new position, Essid will guide the department's policies, programs, and activities promoting emergency response communications for federal, state, local, and tribal governments.    Essid brings considerable interoperable communications expertise to the department and joins DHS from the Virginia Governor's Office of Commonwealth Preparedness, where he served as the state's first Interoperability Coordinator overseeing initiatives to improve interoperability at federal, state, and local levels of government.    "The department has selected a highly-qualified and committed professional for this important office," said Assistant Secretary of Cybersecurity and Communications Greg Garcia. "This department "and the nation" will benefit from the leadership Chris brings through his experience working on interoperable communications issues at the regional, state, and local levels."   As Interoperability Coordinator, Essid represented Virginia on numerous emergency communications forums and coordination bodies, mostly notably the SAFECOM Emergency Response Council and the All Hazards Consortium Interoperability Working Group.  Prior to working for Virginia state government, Essid led outreach programs to Marines stationed around the world for Marine Corps headquarters.  Since 2000, Essid worked as a Management Analyst at the Virginia Department of Transportation and as a Strategic Business Planning Manager for the Virginia Department of Taxation.    Congress established the Office of Emergency Communications by Title XVIII of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended.  The OEC mission 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.  OEC also works to ensure, accelerate, and attain interoperable and operable emergency communications nationwide.

Contact: Steve Barrett Phone: (703) 235-5516 Email: stephen.barrett@dhs.gov