Home » Business Continuity » Supply Chain

Interview with Tom Ridge

Former DHS leader Tom Ridge talks about the practicals of communication and collaboration

By Katherine Walsh

Page 5

Do you think our lack of progress in this area is a result of complacency, a lack of funding or a combination of both?

I think funding is an issue. While local and state governments have some responsibility, a national system should be built by the federal government. We spend millions annually on communications, so there is plenty of opportunity to invest those dollars into supporting a new infrastructure. Over the last few years we’ve expended billions on equipment and had we had a commitment to a broadband infrastructure, the money would have been more effectively used. Once the FCC gets this through, other jurisdictions will know where their dollars need to be spent in order to be compatible. It will revolutionize the intersection of public safety and security.

You served in Vietnam. How can you apply preparing for disaster in a war to your work today?

There are certain maxims that combat soldiers understand better than others. You need to train and exercise in a certain way. And if you fail to plan, train and exercise against certain potential challenges, and they appear, you are probably going to fail. Even within that environment you can’t prepare for everything, so you have to be prepared for the unpredictable. There is a certain element of surprise associated with every crisis and challenge you face. But most people in the military will tell you that you reduce losses and enhance odds for success by having the right equipment, training and the right people. And it applies to the corporate world too. Have you empowered your CIO or CSO to look critically at your entire infrastructure and make specific requests? Do you have a business continuity plan and do you exercise it? Have you tried it out? There are basic lessons in regard to planning and training that are helpful because sometimes you don’t have time to think, you just have time to react. But if you’ve trained a certain way and planned a certain way, the chances are pretty good you will react the right way.