The Disaster Management Interoperability Services (DMIS) program ensures that emergency response organizations across the country can communicate and share information related to an incident.  It is a deployed capability with approximately 2000 operating groups spread through all 50 states.  Local responders recognize the requirement for collaboration that will facilitate a robust incident response.  Increasingly, they are aware of the potential for increased efficiency and effectiveness of incident command when alerts and situation awareness information can be electronically shared with other jurisdictions, mutual aid partners, and higher levels of government. DMIS provides first responder communities with access to automated collaboration tools, such as geographic maps, weather data, a private instant message/chat capability, and the capability to seek and track material assistance from other organizations. In addition, the DMIS capability provides a secure Interoperability Backbone web service** that provides responders with communication tools to optionally share incident information with other responder organizations. The DM e-gov initiative is a collaborative effort of more than 15 federal agencies including the Department of Homeland Security (Managing Partner), the US Dept of Agriculture (APHIS), along with 41 private organizations. DMIS has been put to the test in more than 60 real-world incidents, including accidents, chemical spills, and severe weather (e.g., hurricanes Isabel and Katrina).  DMIS is open to all verified members of the responders and emergency management community—at no cost. Participating organizations need only a desktop or laptop computer with average processing speeds, along with an Internet connection. Once an applicant has been approved, the DMIS program provides the necessary software and supporting documentation.