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![Previous (earlier) Story](/images/sty-down.gif "ARRL Ham Aid "Gear Ready to Go" Awaits Next Disaster"){kind=small} Previous: ARRL Ham Aid "Gear Ready to Go" Awaits Next Disaster |  Next: ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up To Lately? |
NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 28, 2006--ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, has appointed 13 individuals to serve on the ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee. The League's Board of Directors resolved to establish the panel during its annual meeting in January "to appropriately prepare for future large-scale disasters." The committee will develop a comprehensive recommendation for ARRL responses to regional, national and international disasters.
"This group reflects a nationwide assembly of individuals with direct field experience in all aspects of emergency communications at various levels with disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, wildfires, floods and terrorist activity to name a few," Harrison said. "There were many excellent recommendations for this committee, which is quite encouraging in itself and speaks highly of Amateur Radio's productive involvement in emergency communications."
ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, will chair the ad hoc committee. Appointed to serve on the committee were:
Delta Division Director Henry Leggette, WD4Q (Programs and Services Committee liaison)
Pacific Division Vice Director Andy Oppel, N6AJO
Atlantic Division Vice Director Tom Abernethy, W3TOM
Alabama Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK
Western Washington Section Manager Ed Bruette, N7NVP
South Texas Section Emergency Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA
Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jeff Beals, WA4AW
NYC-Long Island Section Emergency Coordinator Tom Carrubba, KA2D
Mississippi Section District Emergency Coordinator Karl Bullock, WA5TMC
Colorado Net Manager/State Government Liaison Gene McGahey, AL7GQ
IARU Region II Emergency Coordinator Rick Palm, K1CE (IARU liaison)
ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager Dave Patton, NN1N (ARRL staff liaison)
Harrison said the committee will begin its work immediately under Craigie's direction. Among other things, the National Emergency Response Planning Committee will thoroughly evaluate the responses and actions of ARRL and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) during Hurricane Katrina as well as lessons learned.
The Board's resolution establishing the committee noted that the emergency communications resources and organization needed for national and international disasters "are markedly different" from what's required at the regional and local level. Given the unprecedented scope and devastation of the 2005 hurricane season in general and of Hurricane Katrina in particular, ARRL Headquarters was placed into a leadership coordination role through national-level requests for help from served agencies such as the American Red Cross.
The ARRL Board will consider the committee's recommendations at its 2007 annual meeting next January.
| Previous: ARRL Ham Aid "Gear Ready to Go" Awaits Next Disaster | Next: ARRL In Action: What Have We Been Up To Lately? |
