Agency Information Collection Activities: Incident Communications Activity Report

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Emergency Communications Division (ECD) within Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) submits the following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 214 (Friday, November 6, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 214 (Friday, November 6, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70095-70097]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-22705]


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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

[Docket No. CISA-2026-0265]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Incident Communications 
Activity Report

AGENCY: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA),

[[Page 70096]]

Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ACTION: 60-Day notice and request for comments; extension of a 
previously approved collection.

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SUMMARY: The Emergency Communications Division (ECD) within 
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) submits the 
following Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for review and clearance.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted until January 5, 
2027. Submissions received after the deadline for receiving comments 
may not be considered.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by docket number Docket 
# CISA-2026-0265, by following the instructions below for submitting 
comment via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.
    Instructions: All comments received must include the agency name 
and docket number Docket #CISA-2026-0265. All comments received will be 
posted without change to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>, including any 
personal information provided.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kylie-Anne Noreiga at 202-329-5161 or 
at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cf7e5f0f5f9b1fdf2f2f9b2f2f3eef9f5fbfddcfff5effdb2f8f4efb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dab1a3b6b3bff7bbb4b4bff4b4b5a8bfb3bdbb9ab9b3a9bbf4beb2a9f4bdb5ac">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 
Security Agency (CISA) Emergency Communications Division (ECD) is 
mandated by The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Act of 2018, 
6 U.S.C. 652(f) under Sections (9) carry out emergency communications 
responsibilities, in accordance with sub-chapter XIII; (10) carry out 
cybersecurity, infrastructure security, and emergency communications 
stakeholder outreach and engagement and coordinate that outreach and 
engagement with critical infrastructure Sector Risk Management 
Agencies, as appropriate; and (11) provide education, training, and 
capacity development to Federal and non-Federal entities to enhance the 
security and resiliency of domestic and global cybersecurity and 
infrastructure security.
    This information collection is requested to be completed by ECD 
stakeholders, including state and local emergency communications 
professionals--through The Incident Communications Activity Report 
(ICAR) form. The ICAR was developed with the intention of capturing and 
documenting the emergency communications activity and utilization of 
public safety communications technologies controlled by state or local 
emergency response officials organized to provide command and 
coordination for an incident, planned event, or exercise. As a result, 
CISA/ECD seeks to renew a standard request from the Paper Reduction Act 
(PRA) to review, analyze, and revise current Incident Communication 
Activity.
    The Emergency Communications Division (ECD) is a division within 
the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) which 
serves under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security 
(DHS). ECD coordinates with National Security and Emergency 
Preparedness (NS/EP) communications stakeholders to enable use of 
technical assistance and information sharing to reduce communications 
system impacts or vulnerabilities. CISA has authority to perform 
assessments and evaluations for federal and non-federal entities, with 
consent and upon request. CISA responds to 6 U.S.C. 571(c) to enhance 
interoperable communications capabilities, training, planning, and 
implementation across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial 
(FSLTT) entities and critical infrastructure key resources. The 
information collected will provide on-the-ground data on emergency 
communications activity and utilization of public safety communications 
technologies controlled by state or local emergency response officials 
organized to provide command and coordination for an incident, planned 
event, or exercise. The information captured focuses on several key 
areas: incident complexity, command and coordination systems, and all-
hazards information and communications technology positions, resources 
(e.g., voice and data systems, interoperability techniques, and 
planning references), challenges and general conditions encountered 
during the incident.
    ICAR will be submitted electronically by the emergency responder 
with overall information and communications technology responsibilities 
within the identified command and coordination organization, for a 
reporting period.
    This information will inform other jurisdictions on best practices 
while permitting data-driven decisions on future policy improvements. 
CISA, in support of the National Council of Statewide Interoperability 
Coordinators (NCSWIC) and the CISA interoperable-communications program 
known as SAFECOM, will collect data through a two-page report to 
capture the emergency communications activity and utilization of public 
safety communications technologies controlled by state or local 
emergency response officials organized to provide command and 
coordination for an incident, planned event, or exercise. CISA's goal 
is to identify lessons learned to drive strategy and improve existing 
or offer new technical assistance within the scope of emergency 
communications activity for Incidents, Planned Events, or Exercises. 
The ICAR is completed by the person with overall information and 
communications technology responsibilities with the identified command 
and coordination organization, for the indicated reporting period. The 
reporting period is flexible to meet agency or jurisdictional program 
needs. The report is designed to accommodate a single report for the 
incident or event duration, or multiple reports for smaller time 
periods within the same incident or event. State, local, territorial, 
or tribal incident communications, organizational and technical 
challenges and best practices will be captured. Collecting and 
summarizing this data will drive our nationwide response, drive 
strategy, and goal development subsequently improving existing and/or 
offer new Technical Assistance options to stakeholders.
    The ICAR is an electronically submitted form to populate the data 
sets which will be loaded, stored, and analyzed in the division's data 
analytics system. Electronic data collection enables an efficient and 
straightforward submission process to submit, reducing the time and 
effort for the submitter while also reducing errors.
    ICAR form is voluntarily submitted using a Microsoft Teams Form 
link. The ICAR form will require a total effort of approximately five 
minutes for completion. The ICAR form will be completed per incident. 
Leveraging the MS Forms and a fillable PDF there will be no printing of 
forms needed, no preparing and sending emails or memos per incident. 
Participants will be able to input free form information in addition to 
drop down type questions.
    The current existing collection approved by OMB is set to expire on 
December 31, 2026.
    There are no changes to the burden or information being collected.
    The Office of Management and Budget is particularly interested in 
comments which:
    1. Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary

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for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including 
whether the information will have practical utility;
    2. Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    3. Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    4. Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submissions of responses.

Analysis

    Agency: Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), 
Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
    Title: Incident Communications Activity Report (ICAR).
    OMB Number: 1670-0050.
    Frequency: Annually.
    Affected Public: State, Local, Territorial and Tribal; Public 
Safety Communications Personnel.
    Number of Respondents: 450.
    Estimated Time per Respondent: 0.083 hours (5 minutes).
    Total Burden Hours: 37.5 hours.
    Total Annual Burden Cost: $2,474.61.
    Total Annual Government Burden Cost: $27,887.79.

Winfield P. Werntz,
Acting Chief Information Officer, Department of Homeland Security, 
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.
[FR Doc. 2026-22705 Filed 11-5-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-LF-P


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