SB QST @ ARL $ARLB009
ARLB009 President Bush addresses Florida ARES net

ZCZC AG09
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 9  ARLB009
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  January 31, 2002
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB009
ARLB009 President Bush addresses Florida ARES net

President George W. Bush spoke January 31 via Amateur Radio to
members of the Northern Florida Amateur Radio Emergency Service Net
(NFAN). The president was in Florida to spotlight five volunteer
groups--among them the Volusia County Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)--for their value to the new Office of Homeland
Security.

''I want to thank all the volunteers who help make sure that Florida
is prepared for any kind of emergency,'' the president said in part,
after checking in around 9:15 AM to a regular ARES net session. ''I
want to thank you all for helping your communities be prepared.''
Bush spoke on the net for about 30 seconds.

Northern Florida ARRL Section Manager Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, said
Bush spoke from a portable station set up at a Daytona Beach fire
station. At the request of ARES Volusia County Emergency Coordinator
Joette Barnett, KG4HPN, John Schmidt, AF4PU, and Clifford Fraser,
KE4HIY, arranged to have the station ready as a demonstration of
Amateur Radio's role in emergency preparedness and in the hope that
Bush would be willing to address the 75-meter net.

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said he was ''extremely gratified''
that President Bush recognized the valuable service Amateur Radio
operators provide in times of emergencies. ''I know that all hams in
the United States stand ready to do their part in America's Homeland
Security Program,'' Haynie commented. Haynie has said that defining
Amateur Radio's role in homeland security would top his list of
initiatives for his second term.

Hubbard said a copy of proposed expanded Amateur Radio (PRB-1)
antenna legislation was given to the President and to the
president's brother, Florida Gov Jeb Bush, for possible introduction
in next year's Florida legislative session. ''We Amateur Radio
operators will volunteer however we're needed, and maybe it will be
seen that we can greatly help the nation if we have the antennas we
need,'' Hubbard commented. The proposed bill would seek to extend
Florida's PRB-1 law to include private deed covenants, conditions
and restrictions.
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