To: HQ Staff & ODV ____________________________________________ From: Pitts, Allen W1AGP Sent: Friday, September 02, 2005 10:17 AM To: pr Cc: pr-com; Lindquist, Rick, N1RL; Kramer, Harold, WJ1B Subject: Press release ARRL 090205 News Release Allen Pitts, W1AGP Media and Public Relations Manager (860) 594-0328 apitts@arrl.org What IS Working? Ham Radio! Newington, CT Sept 2, 2005 -- Over 500 ham radio operators are providing emergency communications in the hurricane devastated areas while other systems are still being repaired. Hundreds more are aiding right from their home by relaying messages to families around the country. The Amateur Radio operators, often called "hams," are working in shelters, offices of emergency preparedness and many temporary locations being used in the disaster response. Because of their communications work, hundreds of lives have been saved already. Hundreds more ham volunteers are in neighboring states and ready to come in once emergency organizations are able to enter the affected areas. In addition to providing emergency communications for various agencies, hams are aiding in informing the thousands of anxious families about people trapped in the area. Hams have coordinated nation-wide to allow many victims to tell distant families about their status. "I had just finished a routine call when a KD5 station called me asking if I could assist him. He had survived the hurricane at a location near New Orleans and he wanted to get word to his daughters and wife that he was OK. I made short phone calls to MN, FL, and LA to relay his message. Less than an hour later I received a call from his daughter thanking me profusely for getting word to her that her father was OK. She was impressed with ham radio!" - Chuck Skolaut, K0BOG, in Connecticut. According to Allen Pitts of the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, "We are also working with many agencies to get information out from the area. While no one yet has a system to find individuals still trapped, hams around the country have formed huge radio networks to provide relief." The Amateur Radio Emergency Service activities of the ARRL are made possible because the hams do not depend on cell towers, phone switching centers, internet or other "choke points"which can be destroyed in a disaster. Although the hams are very organized, each station can function fully independently in sending and receiving messages. ### Background Info: What do Amateur Radio operators do during and after disasters? Amateur Radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster. Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages and destruction of cellular, internet and telephone lines. How do Amateur Radio operators help local officials? Many radio amateurs are active as communications volunteers with local public safety organizations. In addition, in some disasters, radio frequencies are not coordinated among relief officials and Amateur Radio operators step in to coordinate communication when radio towers and other elements in the normal communications infrastructure are damaged. What are the major Amateur Radio emergency organizations? Amateur Radio operators have informal and formal groups to coordinate communication during emergencies. At the local level, hams may participate in local emergency organizations, or organize local "traffic nets". At the state level, hams are often involved with state emergency management operations. In addition, hams operate at the national level through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) which is coordinated through the American Radio Relay League and its field volunteers and through the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) which is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In addition, in areas that are prone to severe weather, many hams are involved in Skywarn, operating under the National Weather Service. Is Amateur Radio recognized as a resource by national relief organizations? Many national organizations have formal agreements with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) * Department of Homeland Security - Citizen Corps * Federal Emergency Management Agency * National Communications System * American Red Cross * Salvation Army * National Weather Service * Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Allen G. Pitts, W1AGP Media and Public Relations Manager ARRL Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0328 What IS working? ..... Ham Radio!