FEMA’s High-Frequency Backbone for National Continuity Communications
Executive Summary
When disasters overwhelm normal communications systems—cellular, internet, landline, and even satellite—the federal government must still be able to coordinate response, maintain continuity of operations, and communicate across long distances. The FEMA National Net, formally known as the FEMA National Radio System (FNARS), exists to meet that requirement.
FNARS is a high-frequency (HF) radio network designed to provide survivable, infrastructure-independent communications for FEMA and designated partners during major emergencies and continuity events. It is not a public safety radio system, not a volunteer network, and not a public interoperability channel. It is a strategic, national-level continuity capability, intentionally designed to work when most other systems do not.
What the FEMA National Net Is
The FEMA National Net (FNARS) is a government-owned HF radio system operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support:
- National-level emergency coordination
- Continuity of Operations (COOP)
- Continuity of Government (COG)
- FEMA Headquarters–to–Region communications
- Communications during catastrophic infrastructure failure
FNARS uses HF radio (2–30 MHz) to achieve long-range communications via ionospheric propagation (“skywave”), allowing signals to travel hundreds or thousands of miles without reliance on:
- Cellular networks
- Fiber or internet infrastructure
- Public switched telephone networks
- Satellite ground gateways
This makes FNARS a deep-resilience communications layer, intended for use when faster or simpler systems are unavailable.
Who Manages FNARS
FNARS is managed, operated, and controlled by FEMA as part of its federal continuity communications responsibilities.
Management includes:
- System architecture and maintenance
- Frequency planning and net operations
- Training and qualification standards
- Authorization and access control
- Integration with FEMA continuity doctrine
FNARS is not outsourced, crowd-sourced, or volunteer-run. It is a federally managed system, used under defined procedures and operational discipline.
Who Is Authorized on the FEMA National Net
Access to FNARS is restricted. Participation is based on mission need and formal authorization, not interest, capability, or volunteer status.
Authorized participants typically include:
- FEMA Headquarters communications elements
- FEMA Regional Offices
- Designated FEMA continuity facilities
- State Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) with assigned HF stations
- Select federal or government partners with approved continuity roles
Authorization is:
- Role-based, not individual hobby-based
- Controlled by FEMA, not open enrollment
- Limited to organizations with continuity or national coordination responsibilities
FNARS is not:
- A public safety mutual aid channel
- A volunteer auxiliary network
- An amateur radio service
- A public interoperability system
Listening may be technically possible with HF receivers, but transmitting or participating without authorization is not permitted.
How FNARS Is Used Operationally
FNARS is designed for strategic and command-level communications, not tactical operations.
Typical uses include:
- Situation reporting during communications outages
- FEMA HQ ↔ Region coordination
- Continuity messaging during COOP/COG events
- Maintaining command connectivity when infrastructure is degraded
- National-level coordination during catastrophic incidents
FNARS is not used for:
- Routine daily operations
- Public safety dispatch
- Field-level tactical communications
- One-to-many public alerting
Its value lies in reliability under worst-case conditions, not speed or convenience.
Relationship to Other HF and Emergency Communications Systems
FNARS exists as one layer within a broader national emergency communications ecosystem. Each system serves a different role and operates under different authority.
| System | Primary Role | Infrastructure Dependence |
|---|---|---|
| FEMA National Net (FNARS) | Strategic federal continuity and FEMA HQ–region coordination | HF only (no terrestrial infrastructure) |
| National Emergency Communications Net | Interagency HF coordination during national-level emergencies and continuity events | HF only (no terrestrial infrastructure) |
| SHARES HF Radio Program | Shared multi-agency HF messaging and coordination resource | HF only (no terrestrial infrastructure) |
| Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) | DoD-sponsored auxiliary HF communications supporting military and civil authority contingency messaging | HF only (no terrestrial infrastructure) |
| United States Coast Guard Auxiliary – Communications | Auxiliary communications supporting Coast Guard missions and maritime safety | VHF/UHF/HF; minimal terrestrial reliance |
| Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) | Government-authorized amateur radio support for civil defense and emergency management | Amateur radio; minimal infrastructure |
| Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) | Volunteer amateur radio emergency communications supporting public agencies | Amateur radio; minimal infrastructure |
| Auxiliary Communications (AUXCOMM) | Trained auxiliary communicators integrated into public safety communications units | Depends on assigned systems |
| Land Mobile Radio (LMR) | Local and regional tactical operations | Towers, backhaul, power |
| Cellular / Broadband | Routine voice and data communications | Fiber, switching, power |
| GETS / WPS | Priority access on functioning networks | Terrestrial infrastructure |
| Satellite Voice / PTT | Infrastructure-independent group voice | Satellite availability |
Key Distinction
FNARS occupies the federal continuity layer. It is not designed to interoperate freely with volunteer or public safety systems, and it should not be treated as a substitute for them.
Public Sources and Documentation
Publicly available references to FNARS are limited by design, but the system is documented in:
- FEMA continuity planning materials
- Federal HF communications documentation
- Declassified and publicly released FEMA radio system manuals
- Emergency communications doctrine referencing FEMA HF continuity capabilities
Operational details are intentionally restricted, consistent with continuity and national-level communications practices.
Why FNARS Still Matters
Modern communications systems are fast and capable—but they are also interdependent. Power loss, network congestion, cyber incidents, and infrastructure damage can cascade rapidly.
FNARS exists because:
- Some communications must work even when convenience systems fail
- Continuity requires independence, not just redundancy
- HF remains one of the few technologies that can operate without external infrastructure
FNARS reflects a core preparedness principle:
If communications must survive the worst day, at least one layer must be simple, separate, and controlled.
Conclusion
The FEMA National Net (FNARS) is not widely visible—and that is intentional. It is a purpose-built, federally managed continuity communications system, designed for national-level coordination when other systems are unavailable or unreliable.
Understanding FNARS requires understanding its role: not as a replacement for public safety radio, not as a volunteer network, and not as a day-to-day communications tool—but as a last-line, high-reliability backbone for federal emergency management continuity.
In a layered communications resilience strategy, FNARS is the system you hope you never need—but must always be ready.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – Continuity of Operations (COOP) and Emergency Communications
https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/continuity - FEMA National Radio System (FNARS) manuals (publicly released / FOIA documents) – GovernmentAttic archive
https://www.governmentattic.org - Federal Continuity Directive 1 (FCD-1): Federal Executive Branch National Continuity Program
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/FCD-1.pdf - Federal Continuity Directive 2 (FCD-2): Federal Executive Branch Mission Essential Functions
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/FCD-2.pdf - National Communications System (NCS) – historical emergency communications documentation
https://www.cisa.gov/about-national-communications-system - Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) – Emergency Communications
https://www.cisa.gov/emergency-communications - CISA – SHARES High Frequency (HF) Radio Program
https://www.cisa.gov/resources-tools/programs/shared-resources-shares-high-frequency-hf-radio-program