[HCRA] FW: RESCUE RADIO: THE RED CROSS SAYS NO MORE LIFESTYLE CHECKS

[n1kxr at comcast.net]

Greetings,
The below text message is being forwarded by;
Richard H. Wheeler - N1KXR 
http://www.qrz.com/callsign/N1KXR

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RESCUE RADIO: THE RED CROSS SAYS NO MORE LIFESTYLE CHECKS 
ON HAM VOLUNTEERS

IN a surprise move, the American Red Cross has acquiesced to the 
demands of the ham radio community and will no longer perform so-
called lifestyle background checks on hams who want to provide 
communications to the relief agency. Khrystyne Keane, K1SFA, of the 
ARRL Letter says that the announcement came at a most apropos time 
and place:

KEANE: "We had a big announcement yesterday in the ARES forum. The 
Red Cross has announced that it will no longer conduct as part of its 
background checks, mode of living checks or credit checks. And now, 
all that remains to be done is for the ARRL and the Red Cross to 
hammer out an MOU and get this thing going."

THE MOU that K1SFA reefers to is the Memorandum of Understanding 
between the League and the Red Cross. A fancy term that really means 
an agreement where-in the ARRL and the American Red Cross agree to 
work together in those situations where volunteer ham radio 
communications are needed.  

SUCH an agreement was in place for many years but the League was 
hesitant to renew it after members complained about background checks 
initiated back in 2006. Nobody minded criminal background checks but 
a lot of folks objected to the extent the Red Cross was going to.  
Its background checks included, among other things, a credit check 
and a mode of living check for its staff and volunteers. This 
included ARES volunteers providing services to the Red Cross during 
times of disasters. 

THE ARRL and a lot of hams not associated with the League considered 
the extent of the Red Cross background check as unneeded and 
inappropriate for communications volunteers. So in November 2007, 
ARRL President Joel Harrison, W5ZN, wrote to the American Red Cross 
regarding concerns voiced by the nations ham radio community.  

BUT until a few weeks ago the American Red Cross was hanging tough 
and refusing to use hams who refused to permit the full background 
check program. That all changed on May 8th when Armond  Mascelli, who 
is American Red Cross Vice President for Disaster Response Services 
finally replied to W5ZN with word that his organization had 
reconsidered its position. Mascelli's letter stated that the portion 
of the background checks that the ARRL and seemingly all of ham radio 
objected to had been eliminated. At least eliminated for 
communications volunteers involved through the ARRL-sponsored 
ARES program.

ACCORDING to Mascelli, a new background consent form will be used 
by all Red Cross chapters for ARRL members and other partner 
organizations. The form and related process is limited to the 
name and social security number verification of the individual, 
and a criminal background check. References and suggestions to 
other related investigative possibilities have been stricken from 
the form.  

(ARRL, ARNewsline)

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