News Releases and Articles

American Radio Relay League now affiliate program of Citizen Corp

The American Radio Relay League now is an official affiliate program of

Citizen Corps, an initiative within the Department of Homeland Security to

enhance public preparedness and safety. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP,

signed a formal Statement of Affiliation between DHS and ARRL during the

ARRL 2003 National Convention June 21 in Dallas, Texas.

Chief Operating Officer of the Emergency Preparedness and Response

Directorate (FEMA) Ron Castleman represented DHS at the signing.

Citizen Corps Liaison to the White House Liz DiGregorio called ham

radio operators the ''first of the first responders.''

You are there. You are part of that very, very first response when

it happens locally,'' especially in the initial stages of an

emergency or disaster, DiGregorio told the overflow audience at the

signing ceremony. She urged amateurs to explore ways to expand their

role in the community beyond being the last resort when other

communication systems fail. ''You need to show your community that

you're engaged,'' she said. ''They need to know as a community that

ARRL is there.''

Among other things, the affiliation statement calls on DHS and ARRL

to raise public awareness of Amateur Radio as a safety resource. In

addition, DHS and ARRL will cooperate in providing training and

accreditation for Amateur Radio emergency communications and promote

JUNEAU, ALASKA - AMATEUR RADIO HELPS SAVE 4 LIVES

Just four weeks after practicing emergency communications skills members of the Northern Southeast Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) and Juneau Amateur Radio Club helped to save a fellow ham operator.

Mark Griffith, amateur call KL0MO, was rafting down the Herbert Glacier river with 3 friends when their raft was severely damaged. He and his friends were stranded on a small island in the middle of the raging river. There had been 2.4 inches of rain in the preceding 24 hours and the river was running extremely fast.

At 7.36pm Mark used the phone patch feature of the KL7PF repeater at Lena Point and called 911. The 911 operator, who also happened to be the ARES Emergency Coordinator, obtained information from Mark and a time schedule was arranged for Mark to call back so that additional information could be obtained while search and rescue personnel were alerted.

In the mean time Bob Dewey, amateur call WL7QC, heard Mark’s transmission and set out for the trailhead to meet with the rescue personnel. Once there Bob worked alongside the search and rescue Incident Commander and was able to contact Mark on a simplex frequency, allowing direct communications with the rescue personnel.

The rescue was hindered by the rain, which had swollen the river to the point that it covered the trail, so rescuers from Juneau Mountain Rescue had to cut their way through the dense undergrowth to get to the four. The weather at the time prevented the use of a helicopter and the river was too fast, and had too much debris, to use a rescue boat.

During the night the four used the remains of their raft and the life jackets to improvise a shelter and huddled together. Throughout the night Bob provided the four with regular updates, despite the fact that Mark’s battery died several times, but retained sufficient power to receive Bob’s communications. Bob Simpson, NL7XZ, Glenn Sicks, KL0QC and Brent Fischer, KL1AT, maintained a listening watch on the Juneau repeater system to provide any additional assistance.

At about 1am, the four were found by a member of SEADOGS, the search and rescue dog team, and, despite the fact they were unable to reach them, the mere presence of rescuers lifted their spirits. They were eventually lifted of the island around 6.50am by a US Coast Guard helicopter from Sitka. The four suffered only mild hypothermia.

Bruce Bowler, the Incident Commander, said; “Ham radio really saved their lives, it was a great help in find out exactly where they were and what condition they were in. We were able to get updates throughout the night on how they were doing.”

Mark said: “Had it not been for the radio no one would have raised the alarm until 9pm, we told them not to worry until 9pm.”