In the US we tend to take for granted our government's recognition and support of amateur radio's emergency communications role. The same is not true in most of the world. In many countries, amateurs struggle to persuade their governments of their value. With that in mind I thought you might be interested in how the FCC report is being viewed elsewhere, in this case by Jim Linton, VK3PC, Chairman of the IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee. Dave K1ZZ -----Original Message----- From: jlinton@iprimus.com.au [mailto:jlinton@iprimus.com.au] Sent: Friday, August 24, 2012 2:33 AM To: r3-dcom@iaru-r3.net Subject: [R3-dcom] FCC confirms our emcomm role FCC confirms our emcomm role The Federal Communications Commission FCC in the US recommends the enhanced deployment and better volunteer use of radio amateurs for emergency communications and disaster relief. In answer to a Congressional directive the FCC found the need for improved integration of radio amateurs in the planning and development of the area. The FCC noted recent news stories where radio amateurs had been useful in providing communication links when normal systems were overloaded or unavailable. It said these services were suited to disaster response in a way that many more advanced forms of communication are not, it said, allowing the supplementation other emergency communications. In gathering evidence for the FCC study, public safety organisations submitted that when local government was stressed by an incident response, the radio amateur could provide a significant additional resource. They could help with communications to mass care shelters, handle logistics and status reports, process health and welfare traffic, while allowing emergency operations centre staff to focus on life safety, property and environmental protection. The FCC gathered information about how radio amateurs had provided auxiliary emergency communications to other agencies on numerous occasions. Several who commented to the study suggested that a national credentialing system should be established to allow access during major emergencies. The FCC full report and recommendations can be read at: http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0820/DA-1 2-1342A1.pdf (Jim Linton VK3PC, Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee)