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September 2008 • Volume 6 • Number 9
It’s About Saving Lives
 “We have to remember that at the end of the day it’s about saving lives,” said Dr. David Boyd, Director, Command, Control and Interoperability,Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate at the Department of Homeland Security.
According to DHS, through a practitioner-driven approach, "the S&T creates and deploys information resources—standards, frameworks, tools, and technologies—to enable seamless and secure interactions among homeland security stakeholders. With its Federal partners, CID is working to strengthen capabilities to communicate, share, visualize, analyze, and protect information."
Dr. Boyd was talking about the critical importance of the role interoperable communications plays for first responders, law enforcement and medical personnel each and every day – and how they can make the difference in life and death situations.
Dr. Boyd made his comments during the Federal Executive Forum on Interoperability broadcast on Federal News Radio and produced by the Trezza Media Group. Watch/Listen
Joining Dr. Boyd on the panel hosted by Jim Flyzik of the Flyzik Group were:
• Kent Holtgrewe, Deputy CIO for Policy and Planning, Department of Justice
• Paige Atkins, Director, Defense Spectrum Organization, DISA
• James Ransome, Ph.D., CISSP, CISM, Senior Director, Secure Unified Wireless and Mobility Solutions Corporate Security Programs and Global Government Solutions, Cisco Systems, Inc.
Listen and Learn
 When asked what the major challenges to be overcome are, DHS' Dr. David Boyd was quick to point out that as recently as 9/11 there were no effective communications capabilities between state and local first responders – and between S&L responders and the federal government either. Since that time there have been great strides, but much work needs to be done in the areas of funding, listening and technology. Watch Video Read More
No Silver Bullet
 Paige Atkins, Dire
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