FYI: Amateur Radio has a history of helping in a disaster

[Scott Thile (K4SET)]

Hello all,

Thought this was very relevant and well written.
73 and 75, Scott, K4SET
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Amateur Radio has a history of helping in a disaster By Dan Scanlan
HomelandDefenseRadio.com September 16, 2004

When you hear "ham" radio what probably comes to mind is an old picture of a
very old vacuum tube radio sitting on a clunky old desk with a man holding
his hand over a teletype key or speaking into a microphone the size of a
cantaloupe. Enter Mary Hobart, Chief Development officer for the American
Radio Relay League.

"I think many people have heard about amateur radio or"ham" radio as its
called and they think of it as old technology.  In fact its cutting edge
technology.  We have many inventers and tinkerers who have contributed to
electronics education, electronics across the board.  We are now working
with the development of software to find radios with digital modes--with,
believe it or not, internet delivery of messages for emergency
communications by email.  Their really a dedicated group of volunteers who
just happen to love radio and everything it can do."

Mary Hobart tells Homeland Security Watch ham operators have a long history
of helping first responders when natural disasters occur and they put that
expertise to work after the 9/11 attack.

"The ARRL activity after 9-11 is really built on decades of public service
by volunteer radio amateurs across the country.  There are close to 700,000
and a core of them were very active in New York City, in Pennsylvania and
outside of Washington after the terrorist attacks of 9-11.  It has
considerably raised the visibility of amature radio and what it can do for
Homeland Security." 

That ham radio operator visibility will be raised even more thanks to a
grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service. A Community
Education Project joining ARRL and Citizen Corps will bring home to a dozen
communities, nationwide, what it is that amateur radio operators do and just
how they impact safety and security during emergencies.