US Code
SUBCHAPTER V— NATIONAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
§ 321d. National Operations Center

(a) DefinitionIn this section, the term “situational awareness” means information gathered from a variety of sources that, when communicated to emergency managers, decision makers, and other appropriate officials, can form the basis for incident management decisionmaking and steady-state activity.
(b) EstablishmentThe National Operations Center is the principal operations center for the Department and shall—(1) provide situational awareness and a common operating picture for the entire Federal Government, and for State, local, tribal, and territorial governments, the private sector, and international partners as appropriate, for events, threats, and incidents involving a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster;
(2) ensure that critical terrorism and disaster-related information reaches government decision-makers; and
(3) enter into agreements with other Federal operations centers and other homeland security partners, as appropriate, to facilitate the sharing of information.
(c) State and local emergency responder representation(1) Establishment of positionsThe Secretary shall establish a position, on a rotating basis, for a representative of State and local emergency responders at the National Operations Center established under subsection (b) to ensure the effective sharing of information between the Federal Government and State and local emergency response services.
(2) ManagementThe Secretary shall manage the position established pursuant to paragraph (1) in accordance with such rules, regulations, and practices as govern other similar rotating positions at the National Operations Center.

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