All -- Despite the perpetual beeatching and moaning, I periodically take a look at the QRZ forums to see what's being talked about. There is a thread on Docket 10-72 (Amendment Of Part 97 Of The Commission Rules Regarding Amateur Radio Service Communications During Government Disaster Drills) and one poster made an interesting observation that I thought I'd share. Take a look at the filings authored by Gordon West WB6NOA and the Arlington, Virginia Office of Emergency Management, and the Washington State Department of Health at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020399672, http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020409053, and http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020410033 respectively. Gordon says that these kinds of paid staff should be allowed to use ham radio for nets and drills: Health and Safety Manager, American Red Cross Disaster Specialist, a paid ham working with the Salvation Army Employed Safety Ride Inspector at theme parks throughout the country Paid hams who provide local college EMT training Paid ham lab workers at a disease-control laboratory Paid ham staff operating a pet rescue non-profit agency Private ham consultants to FEMA Ham office building emergency trainer Licensed amateur operator train engineer Staff hams associated with private security agencies Nuclear power plant emergency manager Ham operator land-mobile repeater technician Captain, ham paid staff Ski Patrol Licensed ham resort lifeguard trainer Resort hotel's emergency management staff Ham operator, heavy equipment driver Ham Rangers with an Island Conservancy Pilots, Doctors and Nurses who are ham operators Paid staff ham operator weather forecaster local TV channel Ham staff contractor for highway safety service Hams on-staff at power and water districts Hams who drive private school buses The Arlington OEM advocates that the blanket waiver that American Hospital Association (AHA) is presently seeking be extended to "employees of public safety and other government agencies, employees of the Red Cross, other non-profit NGO's, and other National Critical Infrastructure entities such as telecommunications, cable, satellite carriers, TV or other such commercial entities which during national emergencies may provide needed life support and goods that directly benefit the public interest through the activation of ACS (Auxiliary Communications Service) at entities such as WAL-MART, LOWES, HOME DEPOT, CONAG, Union Pacific, FEDEX, etc." The Washington State Department of Health "requests that the rules allow the participation of non-governmental healthcare affiliates, such as blood banks, poison centers, outpatient medical clinics." I've not read the other 149 comments filed on this topic by hams and other government entities, but the extent of examples and exceptions being sought by just the three posters above is pretty eye-opening. Give an inch and... 73, Brian N5ZGT ARRL Director, Rocky Mountain Division On the web at www.RockyMountainDivision.org