[KYHAM] RE: Updated ARRL/FEMA MOU

[Ron Dodson]

FYI All Concerned; The MOU between FEMA and Amateur
Radio Emergency Service or ARES (thru ARRL) has been
updated  See the Following info below...

Some items of special interest I found were:

VI. FEMA Interface to Amateur Radio Service

In order to facilitate communications with Amateur
Radio stations in an emergency, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) has issued distinctive
Amateur Radio call signs to FEMA.
These call signs will be used primarily on the high
frequency (HF) bands and will allow more
directly with the RACES and ARES resources when
required. 


VII. Method of Cooperation

In order that communications resources of the ARRL
Field organization may be coordinated and
utilized to the fullest advantage during disasters and
emergencies, and to the extent permitted or
required by law and regulation, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency and the American
Radio Relay League have agreed to the following: 

A. For national-level liaison between ARRL and FEMA,
the points of contact are: 

    ARRL Headquarters 
    Newington, CT 06111 

    FEMA 
    Information Technology Services Directorate 
    RACES Program Manager, IT-EO-DO 
    P.O. Box 129 
    Berryville, VA 22611 

B. FEMA, through its Regional Offices, will encourage
State and local emergency management
officials to interact with ARRL Section Managers and
other appropriate ARRL Field
Organization officials, in an effort to establish
cooperative relationships, and closer ties with
ARRL Field Organization volunteers. FEMA recognizes
that, when these relationships develop
at the local level, effective service to the public is
significantly enhanced. 

C. FEMA and ARRL will encourage the use of Amateur
Radio resources in the development of
state and local emergency operating plans and the use
of those plans to support exercises. 

D. FEMA and ARRL will distribute copies of this
agreement through channels to FEMA
Regional Offices, state and local emergency management
agencies and ARRL Field
Organization officials respectively. 


73, 
Ron Dodson, KA4MAP
SEC Ky ARES

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: ARRL/FEMA MOU
Date: Fri, 15 Mar 2002 17:31:46 -0500
From: "ARRL Field & Educational Services"
<memberlist@www.arrl.org>
To: ka4map@bbtel.com

Revised ARRL/FEMA MOU Signed

On February 27, an updated Memorandum of Understanding
between ARRL and the
Federal Emergency Management Agency was signed in
Washington DC.  The new
MOU is now on the ARRL Web site:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/femamem.html

For the latest news on how the ARRL is working with US
government officials
regarding homeland security and other issues, please
read this March 12
article on the ARRL Web's News Page:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/03/12/1/?nc=1

73,

Steve Ewald, WV1X
ARRL Field Organization/ Public Service Team
sewald@arrl.org