On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 1:32 PM, Ewald, Steve, WV1X <wv1x@arrl.org<mailto:wv1x@arrl.org>> wrote:
Hello, Section Managers.
Please read the following message from ARRL Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B.
Thank you.
73,
Steve Ewald, WV1X
Supervisor, Field Organization Team
*ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio™*
860-594-0265
sewald@arrl.org<mailto:sewald@arrl.org>
============================================
To: Section Managers:
Both Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey and I have received questions about the June 2014 *QST* Public Service column that Mike wrote. We have been using the term “Public Service Communications” in *QST* and other publications for a couple of years now and, it appears that no one took close notice. Perhaps, it would have been better to let this sleeping dog lie, but all we set out to do was to clarify the terminology. As explained below, we are not changing any policies, renaming any programs or modifying any Field Organization titles.
*QST* has a very engaged readership – this good thing - and they let their voices be heard. As *QST* Publisher, I am sorry if we created any confusion.
I asked Mike to clarify some of the points in the article and explain some of the details in his response below.
Thanks for all of the great work that you do on behalf of the ARRL and Amateur Radio.
73,
Harold WJ1B
ARRL COO/Publisher
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From Mike Corey
Based on the e-mails I have received regarding the June 2014 *QST* Public Service Column, I believe there may be some misunderstandings among the membership and the ARRL Field Organization concerning the message I was attempting to communicate. I would like to address some of these issues in the hope that it will clarify the matter.
*The ARRL Continues to Support Emergency Communications*
The ARRL continues to support emergency communications through its involvement in the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council and relationships with multiple partners such as Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO), The International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD), FEMA, the Red Cross, and others.
The ARRL has also supported, and will continue to support, ARES. As mentioned in the article, this does not indicate a change to the name of the program, or to field organization titles. The ARRL Emergency Preparedness Program will continue to seek ways to provide tools and resources to ARES members and leadership and to make sure ARES has a strong national voice.
*ARRL Recognizes Multiple facets of Amateur Radio Response*
For many years we have considered “public service events“ to mean parades, marathons, races and other community events where amateurs provide communications support. Activities not considered public service were typically defined as “emergency communications.”
Arguably, this loose definition of “emergency communications” has created sharp divides in the Amateur Radio community. These divides do nothing to help us and much to hurt us.
While there are multiple definitions and interpretations, an emergency is generally defined as a sudden event with an immediate threat to life and/or property. It is a term that should not be taken lightly. Instead, we should apply more appropriate terminology to the activities we conduct…
These terms are:
*Community Event Communications: *These are what we have traditionally referred to as “public service” and may consist of Amateur Radio support for parades, marathons and so on.
*Disaster Communications: *Amateur operations in support of communications in disaster situations, although not in direct response to an imminent threat to life or property. An Amateur Radio response to a disaster is not the same as our response to an emergency. The same can be said for the response by emergency management, public safety, and VOADs.
*Emergency Communications:* Emergency communications are still a key service of Amateur Radio. There is no doubt that Amateur Radio operators provide critical communications when lives and property are at *immediate*risk (an amateur coming upon the scene of a car accident, for example). Additionally, amateurs provide support to the three components of emergency communications: public safety answering points (911), the emergency alert system and broadcast media.
*Public Service Communications* is the umbrella term that includes all three of these Amateur Radio activities. It does not value one activity above another. In fact, each activity is a necessary component of the service we provide to our communities, state, and nation. Taken as a whole, *Public Service Communications* defines the “face” we present to the non-ham world.
By using precise, accurate terminology, we better illustrate the diversity of Amateur Radio activities in service to the public and various agencies. Not all communication needs are equal, but we let it be known that amateurs train and prepare for whatever need may arise.
*ARRL is Committed to ARES and the Mission is Still the Same*
The ARRL is committed to ARES and its mission. The “new Public Service direction” mentioned in the article is a reference to how we will use accurate terminology, going forward, to better define our mission to the public and served agencies. There is no change in policy or mission for ARES. We recognize the value of our field organization leadership in coordinating the ARES response at all levels and building the relationships with partners for the good of their communities.
*ARRL Recognizes What our Partners Recognize: Not All Responses are Equal*
The shift in terminology as it applies to Amateur Radio activities was not mandated by anyone outside the ARRL. Other organizations have long understood the difference between disasters and emergencies. This update in how we use these terms simply acknowledges a changing landscape, including language.
The ARRL Emergency Preparedness Program and ARES will continue to support all the work amateurs are doing to serve their communities. Our commitment is to continue to provide the tools, resources, and information to amateurs so they are better prepared to answer the call when needed. Diversity of communication skills has long been a hallmark of the Amateur Radio Service and it should be most apparent in the services we provide to those who entrust us with the spectrum we use.
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Harold Kramer, WJ1B
Chief Operating Officer
ARRL -the national association for Amateur Radio
225 Main Street
From: Widin, Gregory, K0GW On Behalf Of G Widin Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 3:56 PM To: Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ Cc: Pace, Jim, K7CEX; Norris, David, K5UZ; Mileshosky, Brian, N5ZGT; arrl-odv Subject: Re: [arrl-odv:22712] Re: HAM NATION 148 on TWIT TV Could Directors and Vice Directors also see the communication sent out by Steve? I'm sure we will be getting questions, and I'd rather not guess about the exact contents and wording. Greg, K0GW On Fri, May 23, 2014 at 1:49 PM, Sumner, Dave, K1ZZ <dsumner@arrl.org<mailto:dsumner@arrl.org>> wrote: Steve Ewald sent it to the SMs yesterday. Dave K1ZZ From: arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org> [mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv-bounces@reflector.arrl.org>] On Behalf Of Pace, Jim, K7CEX Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 2:42 PM To: Norris, David, K5UZ; Mileshosky, Brian, N5ZGT Cc: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:22711] Re: HAM NATION 148 on TWIT TV David: I spoke to Mike yesterday. He is planning to send an explanation to the SMs and SECs, in the next few days. 73, Jim - K7CEX From: David Norris<mailto:k5uz@suddenlink.net> Sent: Friday, May 23, 2014 11:30 AM To: Brian Mileshosky<mailto:n5zgt@swcp.com> Cc: <arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org><mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org%3e> Subject: [arrl-odv:22709] Re: HAM NATION 148 on TWIT TV All, Harold sent out a good rebuttal of this from Mike Corey explaining the public service communications concept. It should be in an earlier ODV message from yesterday if I remember correctly. ARES is fully supported now and in the future with no earth shattering changes. 73 David A. Norris, K5UZ Director Delta Division Sent from my iPhone On May 23, 2014, at 12:55 PM, Brian Mileshosky <n5zgt@swcp.com<mailto:n5zgt@swcp.com>> wrote: Gotta love spin, minus context -- or, in Heil's admitted case, knowledge --, plus mass media. Way to be responsible, Gordo and Heil. By the way, Mike Corey was the keynote speaker at the Rocky Mountain Division Convention in Utah two years ago. He broached much of this exact subject there. Many of us know that Utah hams are VERY deeply involved in ARES and community and religious groups involved with public service/disaster/emergency communications. Having gotten a sneak peak of Mike's presentation (content and perspectives of which I agreed with, by the way), I was interested and admittedly rather nervous about how it would be received, considering the hard-core ARES nature of the 150-ish strong audience. Mike brought the house down. I can't tell you how many compliments I received from ARES members, and even those in the audience who had no interest in being involved with ARES, reflecting on his presentation, remarking about how badly perspective like Mike's was needed in the ham community, etc. Compliments continued to trickle in for about 4 months after the Convention. Not a single piece of negative feedback was received. An attendee posted Mike's presentation with audio here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qi_3j2UEH4 if anyone is interested. He spends the first 20 minutes describing the extent of his office's impressive mission, and then launches into the candid content starting at about 18:45, complete with explanation and context. The changes announced by Mike's office -- which I support -- are naturally going to catch some people off guard, generate questions, and require some clarification in situations. I hope that Mike's office continues to be deliberate and visible as it rolls out these changes so that they will receive buy-in from the ARES community. 73, Brian N5ZGT On May 22 2014 11:30 PM, Bob Vallio wrote: I just viewed this program, and found the section by Gordo, WB6NOA, to be most interesting. Apparently ARES is being phased out. Take a look starting at 0:07:00 for the latest word. http://twit.tv/show/ham-nation/148 73, Bob -- W6RGG _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> http://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> http://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv ________________________________ _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> http://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv ________________________________ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com<http://www.avg.com> Version: 2014.0.4592 / Virus Database: 3950/7549 - Release Date: 05/23/14 _______________________________________________ arrl-odv mailing list arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org<mailto:arrl-odv@reflector.arrl.org> http://reflector.arrl.org/mailman/listinfo/arrl-odv