Brian, because it principally involves HQ I'd prefer to keep Allen's report internal. There's quite a bit about ARES involvement on the Connecticut section Web site, http://www.arrl.org/sections/CT.html Dave -----Original Message----- From: Mileshosky, Brian N5ZGT (Vice Dir, RM) Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 11:38 AM To: arrl-odv Subject: [arrl-odv:11943] Re: TOPOFF 3 TOM: Some kind of feedback from the government side would be nice (if possible), but I'm equally interested in an after-action report from ARES/RACES leadership. BTW, this is all just for my own personal curiosity as a fellow ARES member...I think it's cool that Ham Radio has a role in this. DAVE: Is Alan Pitt's briefing report for our eyes only, or can I pass it on to some of my local ARES movers and shakers for their interest? Thanks and 73, Brian, N5ZGT Tom Frenaye <frenaye@pcnet.com> said:

At 10:37 AM 3/14/2005, Brian/N5ZGT wrote:

...

Awesome opportunity for Amateur Radio. Is an after-action report, even if restricted just to how Ham Radio performed, planned by those ARES/RACES groups involved?

The info given a local club (CT/MA border) suggests we won't get a whole lot of direct feedback from the government side, though I sure expect we'll have a pretty good idea of how well our involvement worked out from out own analysis. I hope we get some "official" feedback though. It sounds like KO1D is involved from the government, but I don't know what he does.

-- Tom

...

Some information:

TOPOFF is the Top Officials Congressionally mandated exercise. The first was held several years ago in Denver and New Hampshire. 2 years ago the second was held in Seattle and Chicago. This year there are participants in CT, NJ, Canada and the UK.

As always Washington, DC has its share of Federal Officials taking part.

Please take the exercise very seriously. It will receive coverage from all levels of government and the emergency response community. Do not sit there and gawk at the comms toys unless asked to. Do your jobs as well as you always do and be PROFESSIONAL at all times.

You will not be privy to all aspects of the exercise, accept that now.

You may never learn how well it went, accept that.

There are many components that people have worked months on developng and keep in mind that while this is a full scale exercise, it is to be treated as real as the call up on 9-11 itself.

My only real wish I could take part. That is the crappy part of my job,I have to watch. So please tell me what happens.

Also, work together and keep solid notes on what you do so that you can use that to improve in the future.

Good luck and remember....We're only amateurs because we are not paid!

Dan Sullivan KO1D Falls Church, VA

===== e-mail: k1ki@arrl.org ARRL New England Division Director http://www.arrl.org/ Tom Frenaye, K1KI, P O Box J, West Suffield CT 06093 Phone: 860-668-5444

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