Jim wrote: "About two or so years ago, I recall hearing while at a Board meeting that we were working toward becoming equal with ANRC at the Homeland Security meeting table. Is anything happening toward this end?" Joel agreed that I should respond to this question. Jim, I believe you are referring to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) structure which, if and when it is ever fully implemented, would bring all resources to the same table under the Unified Command. Should that structure ever come completely into being, Amateur Radio communications and the Red Cross would provide resources as needed under the direction of the Unified Command. It would fundamentally change the way the ARRL and the Red Cross (among other agencies) relate to each other during major disasters. To the best of my knowledge, this model has not been realized as yet and we are, so to speak, "sailing as before." However, I admit I have not kept 100% up to date with the development of NIMS, since the NERPC study is finished and my OM is not a county EC any more. If you have questions about the status of NIMS, you may want to have a chat with Dennis Dura once the hurricane hassles are off his plate. This is not something the ARRL was working on. It's a federal bureaucracy's concoction, and is independent of anything we do. 73 - Kay N3KN