The National Capital Region (NCR) was created pursuant to the National Capital Planning Act of 1952, 40 USC §71. The Act defines the NCR as the District of Columbia; Montgomery and Prince George's Counties in the State of Maryland; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia; and all cities existing in the Maryland and Virginia counties mentioned.

Home to 5,000,000 citizens, the NCR is a diverse array of communities that covers the spectrum from dense urban environments, suburbs, and rural farmland.  While it is the home of the Federal Government, which employees more than 340,000 people at 271 federal departments and agencies throughout the region.  The NCR is more than just a federal enclave.   Over 4,000 diplomats work at 170 embassies and 8,000 people work for international organizations.  In addition, it is home to more than 2,000 non-profit organizations and 40 colleges and universities.

Such a diverse region requires comprehensive and collaborative planning and cooperation.  The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) is an independent, non-profit association that brings area leaders together to address major regional issues.  The Regional Emergency Support Function (R-ESF) groups provide an established and integrated platform for all disciplines from all NCR jurisdictions to join together in an effort to enhance the strength of the region. WebEOC is one tool utilized by the NCR for communication and collaboration.

The NCR is not an operational entity because emergency response is a local function. Because the NCR is a collection of sovereign jurisdictions, this website and the efforts of the region's communicators and public information officers will focus on regional collaboration between the region's homeland security partners to achieve a "safe and secure National Capital Region."