Good move Barry. All these steps do make sense even in the face of any continued skepticism. What critical emergency responders are being told is a bit more sobering that what the news media coveys -that is understandable. As some of you know, I am an active emergency responder in the volunteer fire & rescue service. My western Philadelphia suburban county, one of the densest suburb in the state, is largely comprised of volunteer responders except for EMS which we need to support in serious multicausality incidents. As the Captain of Rose Tree Fire Company (Company 73) in Delaware County, PA, along with our chief officer staff, I was briefed last night by the county Department of Emergency Services officials on what is coming and what we likely expect in the short term. It is a bit frightening and our DES is not prone to exaggeration. Living in this area my whole life, I have not seen the type of concern the public is displaying around here. Yep, our Acme markets and other stores here look as though a major snowstorm is forecasted except it is not just milk, bread and eggs sold-out for a big snowstorm. I do not fully understand the toilet paper thing, but those shelves are all bare as well as are canned soups, pasta, beans, the usual long-term storage food choices. First responders were advised last night by our public health officials to "lock-down" and exclude the public and indeed any non-responder visitor entirely from our fire station facilities. Even the banquet hall, which is isolated from the rest of the facility and which typically has a reservation each weekend out for months, is to be cancelled and refunds issued. We depend on that income for running the station too. The fear is rapid transmission as you all know. In the fire service our issue is the likelihood of having over 50% to 80% of my crew out sick for at least a week or two, even if many cases turn out not to be a life-threatening illness. My company gets about 350 emergency calls a year. As volunteers, we have trouble getting a full crew out during the day as it is since response is voluntary. No area company will be available to back us up with mutual aid as they otherwise would because they will be experiencing the same crew issues we experience. So, I am sure your towns, those of you outside major metro areas, have volunteer and career emergency responders and medical professional staff at hospitals facing the same issues. What Barry and the HQ crew are undertaking is great planning of course and the right thing to do. It may allow HQ to stay open. I thought I had seen it all in my 66 years. Yeah, we will get through this all. But this is new. Bob Famiglio, K3RF Vice Director - ARRL Atlantic Division 610-359-7300 www.QRZ.com/db/K3RF From: arrl-odv On Behalf Of Shelley, Barry, N1VXY (CEO) Sent: Friday, March 13, 2020 2:44 PM To: arrl-odv <arrl-odv@arrl.org> Subject: [arrl-odv:29856] Suspension of Tours/W1AW Guest Operations Good Afternoon: The more I thought about this move, the more I believe it is the right thing to do. Hence, the following will be posted shortly on the ARRL web page and through other news sources: Announcement from ARRL Headquarters As part of the efforts underway to help protect the health and safety of ARRL Headquarters employees and volunteers from the impacts of the coronavirus, ARRL has decided to suspend all tours and guest visits to the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, W1AW, and ARRL Headquarters, effective Monday, March 16. Out of an abundance of caution, this suspension will be in effect until further notice. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our members and their guests who had been planning to visit us in Newington, CT. However, we feel that this is a necessary precaution and is in keeping with the guidance being provided by federal and local health professionals. Again, we appreciate everyone's patience and understanding as we all endeavor to deal with this difficult public health situation. I made the effective date Monday so we could reach out to any group that might have already scheduled a visit in the near future Also, unbeknownst to me this morning, there was a tour group of 20 people scheduled to arrive this afternoon from Philadelphia. Why they decided to make the trip in the current environment is beyond me but I just didn't have the heart to turn them away at the door. 73, Barry, N1VXY