VOAD NOTES 11/9/12:
American Radio Relay League (ARRL): Amateur Radio operators continue
to be active supporting partner agencies and organizations throughout
the mid-Atlantic states and New England. Requests for communication
assistance can be submitted to ARRL HQ; please contact Mike Corey,
ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager, ki1u @ arrl.org or 860-594-0222.
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2012 HURRICANE SANDY -
As Hurricane Sandy Wreaks Havoc on East Coast, Hams Heed Call to Help -
11/01/2012 last posted (update)
http://www.arrl.org/news/as-hurricane-sandy-wreaks-havoc-on-east-coast-hams-heed-call-to-help
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From the NYVOAD Member Directory:
Organizational Structure
The American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL) is a national volunteer organization of 155,000 licensed radio amateurs in the United States. ARRL maintains a field organization of 10,000 leadership volunteers and 40,000 registered radio amateur members of the ARRL-sponsored Amateur Radio Emergency Service (A.R.E.S). This large volunteer force is headed in each of 71 geographical sections by an elected section manager. Disaster communications in each of those sections is under the direction of an appointed section emergency coordinator (SEC), who, in turn, directs district and local emergency coordinators. Radio amateurs volunteer not only their services, but also the use of their privately owned radio communications equipment and digital interfaces for use in disaster situations.
Disaster Program
The ARRL is national both in scope and in purpose, but with disaster response conducted and directed at the local and state levels. The ARRL is a voluntary membership organization incorporated as a not-for-profit institution and qualified under IRS regulation 501(c) 3. ARRL's commitment is to promote, organize, and assist at every level to meet the communications needs of people and agencies affected by disaster. The ARRL has entered into formal agreements to provide emergency radio services with the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, National Communications System, Associated Public Safety Communications Officials- International, Inc., National Weather Service, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). American Radio operators shadow emergency responders and officers at disaster sites. This is the only way emergency agencies (who use different radio frequencies) are able to have interoperable communications.