It is with utmost pleasure that I present this edition of the Handbook on Emergency Telecommunications. This edition has its roots in the Handbook on Disaster Communications prepared under the auspices of ITU-D Study Group 2, for Developing Countries that was published in 2001. Owing to the fast evolving nature of both the technologies and the regulatory framework related to disaster mitigation and relief coupled with the high frequency with which disasters are occurring, we found it necessary to release this particular edition to address most of the topical issues related to this subject.