[mdmars_staff] Re: Interoperability Tidbit

  • From: John AAR3CK / AAM3MD <aar3ck@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: mdmars_staff@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2009 10:53:10 -0500

bmcpherson73@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Thanks John,

In the 20 years or so that I have been involved with interoperability planning, I have seen lots of state,local, and federal interoperability plans come and go. It really ramped up after 9/11 and Katrina. But no amount of federal reports and commissions or new interoperability technology will change the essential element of interoperability, and that is the willingness of the various parties to work with each other. As indicated by recent email messages, we should initially look no farther than MARS itself and develop jointness and interoperability among ourselves before we consider taking the next step toward interoperability with state and federal agencies. I dont think our state or federal customers should even know or care about the distinction between the different MARS groups.

In the absence of any joint guidance from the services, and in the spirit of Jims recent comments on this subject I think we should convene a joint MARS meeting for the state and develop a Joint MARS (JMARS) SOP. We are the largest of the three, so Army MARS should lead the way. What do you think?

Bruce AAT3TW/AAM3IMD



On Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at  7:37 PM, John AAR3CK / AAM3MD wrote:

Hi, Guys -

Here's a short story I just saw. Sorry if it is a duplicate for you. About half way down there is mention of a new interoperability initiative seemingly aimed at first responders. However, there may be other pieces to the pie once it gets formulated. Maybe just something to be aware of.


http://fcw.com/articles/2009/01/23/obama-unveils-homeland-agenda.aspx?s=fcwdaily_260109

John

MDC MARS Web Site: http://mdarmymars.home.comcast.net/~mdarmymars/index.htm

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All very worthwhile points, Bruce. One interesting example of attempted interoperability was the FEMA vehicle at MEMA on the 20th. They were kind enough to show us how they can flip this, and click that and tie a whole bunch of systems together with the ease of a computer. It was pretty impressive, but that is that truck, and who knows how effective it actually is under emergency communications? They probably have a bunch of different antennas, but the discussion seemed pretty fixated on satellite comms. Even if they can map frequencies across bands, it didn't appear to me that they could deal with encryption issues between users. I think we in MARS are on the right track to at least make a good faith attempt to build a better coalition of the three groups.

Keep your powder dry.  73,

John  AAM3MD

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