[FLARES] ARRL BOD Report on ARES

[Ron Wetjen]

Paul Womble wrote:

> It is becoming too easy, and relatively affordable, for served agencies
> to get satellite access to high speed data and voice communications.
> Service can be had for not much more than an average cell phone bill.
> 
> Yes...it takes a few days to deploy that type of infrastructure.  Those
> first few days are really where amateur radio needs to focus.   

And in my opinion, deploying this type of infrastructure is what 
Amateurs should be assisting with and what will keep Amateurs involved 
in the future (I don't think that's the direction Paul was going).  I 
believe our knowledge and technical skills are our most valuable asset - 
and not our communications "tools" (in the past, yes ... not today). 
Our knowledge and skills are largely going to waste when it comes time 
to assist in a disaster.

As Dale wrote in his definition of luddite, "any opponent of 
technological progress".  Too many Amateur groups are dead against 
stepping outside of the box to perform more "non traditional" Amateur 
activities.  Why?  I don't know.  Amateurs should be jumping at the 
chance to learn how to deploy these communications systems and be ready 
to deploy them when needed.  This is the kind of help your county wants 
and needs.

The state has been conducting a "Weapons of Mass Destruction" drill in 
each of the Florida Counties.  I haven't read one report on this 
reflector, other than mine (see 
http://mailman.qth.net/pipermail/flares/2002-December/000102.html) of 
any Amateur participation in these WMD drills.  As I wrote in that 
report "As I helped Victor demobilize EDICS on Thursday, he mentioned he 
wished more Amateur groups would get involved like we do!"  Have any 
other Amateurs been involved in their county's WMD Drill?  I've seen 
news reports of the drill being held in surrounding counties, but then 
no details of any Amateur participation.  Why not?

Is anyone doing anything else, besides waiting for a storm to arrive 
before getting active?  And once it does, then what do you do?  Go to a 
shelter ... or deploy a backup 800 MHz system to keep Police and Fire 
communications working?  Which do you think your county would appreciate 
more?

73, Ron  WD4AHZ