ARES E-Letter for September 11, 2005================= Edited by Rick Palm, K1CE =============================================================== SPECIAL EDITION TWO: HURRICANE KATRINA FOLLOW-UP It's been quite a week of studying the ARES response to Hurricane Katrina while keeping a wary eye on storm Ophelia, just off shore here in Flagler County, on the Florida central east coast. Local ARES was on alert. We had winds and driving rain as Ophelia tried to decide which way to turn. Yesterday, it marched to the northeast and today we have an uneasy, almost surreal calm. But, the sky is clear. Back to Katrina: I can't remember a more comprehensive ARES response, especially in terms of inter-county and interstate mutual assistance, plus the concomitant, unprecedented activity by ARRL HQ staff in support of that response, ever. Even the Chief Operating Officer Harold Kramer, WJ1B, worked over the Labor Day holiday weekend. And word arrived yesterday that the "Hurricane Katrina Amateur Radio Volunteers Needed Clearing House" now is live on the ARRL Web site <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/agencies/>. The ARRL Letter: "This database will be the primary means for relief organizations requiring Amateur Radio volunteers for communication support to list their needs. Additionally, volunteers looking to help may search the listings to match up their capabilities with the various requirements." That is a first, as far as I know. Credit Joe Tomasone, AB2M, for the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Communications Volunteer Registration and Message Traffic Database he developed. On the Northern Florida ARES Net this morning, a report was made that "renegade" hams were turned away from an affected area and were to be adorned with "metal bracelets" if they did not leave. Message: Coordinate your volunteer efforts with your own home ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC), or his/her designees. Also, be prepared to be self-sufficient: "If you need it, you bring it," advised Alabama SEC Jay Isbell, KA4KUN. - K1CE "All of us know this will be a months-long effort. Just because we are unable to immediately send those of you who have registered, that does not mean we will not need you in the future. Your patience in awaiting an assignment that may never come is appreciated. The requirements are likely to change in the future; we are unable to give any idea of when that will be." - Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, STX SEC Read the whole letter (LONG!!!) at www.arrl.org |