NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 21, 2006--Amateur Radio's value as one component in a cooperative public/private-sector effort to protect critical national infrastructure was the focus of an InfraGard "Communications Interoperability and Ham Radios" summit this week in New York City. An FBI program, InfraGard is dedicated to promoting dialogue between the private sector and the federal investigative agency "concerning critical infrastructure protection issues." ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, and Affiliated Clubs/Mentor Program Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, represented League Headquarters at the gathering, which featured a range of speakers.
"This is the key to opening the door to a valuable model partnership," Hobart commented afterward. "They were very receptive. I think it was a good beginning."
Hobart says Amateur Radio came up on InfraGard's radar earlier
this year, and got the nonprofit organization thinking of Amateur Radio as a possible
partner, ally and service provider in emergencies. New York Metro InfraGard put together the
one-day session July 17 at Cisco Systems' New York office as a way to get more familiar
with Amateur Radio.
 (L-R) ARRL Affiliated Clubs/Mentor Program Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ; the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network's Carlos Varon, K2LCV; ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, and New York City ARES DEC Mike Lisenco, N2YBB. |
"They understand that ham radio has 'been there' in terms of emergencies and disasters and is working to improve its ability to respond," Hobart said. She said New York Metro InfraGard President Joe Concannon "expressed his deep interest in Amateur Radio as a partner and a desire to learn more about our capabilities."
Keynote speaker for the day-long session was Broadcasting & Cable Hall of Famer and New York Public Television CEO William Baker, W1BKR. Jeff Pulver, WA2BOT, chairman and founder of pulvermedia.com and cofounder of Vonage, also addressed the gathering.
"This InfraGard meeting brought together a group of people who care about post-disaster communication preparedness, and a majority of the people in attendance were active members of the Amateur Radio community," Pulver observed later in a blog entry. "This was my first time in the post-VoIP era that I had a chance to talk to hams about my early experiences with VoIP and how my ham radio background has had a positive effect on the past 12 years of my life."
Pulver said the InfraGard meeting provided "a great audience to speak to, since we shared a common passion for communications and common ground on a number of topics." He said that includes the need for coordination between the ham radio community and fellow communication enthusiasts "who want to volunteer their time the next time disaster strikes."
In a presentation called "Radio Communications 101," New York City District Emergency Coordinator Mike Lisenco, N2YBB, spoke about the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and the League's role in emergency and public service communication and training.
Allan Manuel, an attorney in the FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Branch, indicated the Commission is willing to be more flexible in accommodating Amateur Radio during emergencies and disasters. The FCC has invited public comments by August 7 in response to a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding recommendations of the independent panel that reviewed Hurricane Katrina's impact on communication systems (EB Docket 06-119), some of which could affect the Part 97 Amateur Service rules.
For example,
the FCC has asked if it should explore amending its rules to permit automatic grants
of certain types of waivers or special temporary authority (STA) in declared disaster
areas. After last year's devastating hurricanes, the FCC issued a handful of STAs
to permit licensees lacking HF privileges to operate on HF for emergency purposes.
For their part, Hobart and Fusaro demonstrated the League's "Ham Aid" go kits of Amateur Radio gear that can be rapidly deployed to disaster areas where the Amateur Radio infrastructure has been lost or compromised. They also provided attendees with copies of the ARRL's Community Education Program brochures and materials.
"This meeting presented the potential for an important relationship for Amateur Radio," Hobart observed. "We need to continue this dialogue regarding a partnership."
Hobart says Concannon envisions a model in New York City that other InfraGard chapters across the country could emulate. "I think it's
an opportunity for Amateur radio to align itself with a high-profile group with
key federal connections," she said. "Let's see where this takes us."
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