March 26, 2008 -- The National Homeland Security Consortium believes the nation is at a crossroads in its efforts to secure the homeland. In its white paper Protecting Americans in the 21st Century: Imperatives for the Homeland, the Consortium calls for acknowledgement that homeland security is a shared responsibility between all levels of government, the private sector and citizens and they should be equal partners with the federal government in setting national goals and their supporting policies and procedures.

The National Homeland Security Consortium consists of 21 national organizations representing local, state and private professionals that deliver services daily that are vital to the safety and security of the United States. The white paper represents an unprecedented effort by various disciplines and professions to come together and acknowledge that national security cannot be performed in isolation or by a single entity. The evolving challenges of homeland security require a new model of collaboration for the new Century.

Among the imperatives cited by the white paper are:

• Communication and Collaboration - Establish a robust, sustained and consistent process for soliciting local, state, tribal, territorial and private sector engagement, including unfiltered input to key federal decision makers, on the full breadth of homeland security issues.
• Health and Medical - Improve efforts to enhance the full range of health and medical readiness to address trauma and exposure related injury and disease.
• Interoperability - Continue to promote coordinated development of governance, technology and protocols necessary to enhance minimal capabilities for interoperable communications (voice, video and data) among all levels of government and the private sector.