[MRIC] New Email List Members

Thu Mar 22 11:42:17 EST 2007

Thanks Brett.
You are correct--I absolutely cannot speak on behalf of any RACES group whatsoever, and it terms of DHMH, my small part of DHMH representation is for the Cities Readiness Initiative.  Although I definitely see some merit to having a DHMH RACES group--a number of other DHMH hams already began this conversation some time ago--one has not been formed, and if it does form, it will certainly need to be through all of the appropriate processes.  (I'm not volunteering myself the task of creating a DHMH RACES group--I cannot give that effort the time it deserves)

As the CRI Coordinator, I have asked all of the Baltimore-Metro CRI counties receiving the ham equipment to make contact with their local RACES group (if none exists in their county, they may need to look to adjacent counties for aid) and to place RACES into their CRI plans communication annex.  The primary reason why I asked Warren and Brett for RACES assistance with frequency assignments, was to ensure that the appropriate organization (RACES) was involved with this.  (It was outside of my scope and position)

If there is discomfort having me on the MRIC listserv, I have no problem removing myself.  Brett and Warren have been very helpful and open with their assistance, and I'm sure they will keep me informed on items pertaining to health depts and ham.  Brett thought it would be beneficial to include me on the listserv--I will not take it personally if I need to "bow out."

Best
Terry
KF6DLM
>>> <BrettHam at aol.com> 3/19/2007 2:27 am >>>
Pat,

Thank you for your comments.

I would like to preface my following comments with the statement that  my job 
as Chairman is to keep things moving along on the track chosen by MRIC as  a 
group, and I do not intend to dictate anything to the committee that we have  
not already agreed upon. The floor is open to any topic within the constraints 
 of our Charter, and any MRIC member can make a motion to change things. That 
 said, here's my opinion:

My concern about opening the MRIC email reflector to anyone, was that  hams 
and RACES Operators would be contributing to the conversation without  
authority to speak for their jurisdiction, and we would get off-track. By having  the 
ROs clear the contributions of other hams, they take responsibility for  those 
statements. The reason I proposed at the MRIC meeting that EMs (or their  
designees) be able to contribute, is that they are the ones that formed this  
committee and are our supervisors. I don't think there are many that want to get  
involved in the details we are working on, but I don't think we should  
explicitly exclude them either. Especially since they will be approving,  via the 
Association, our recommendations as passed in MRIC. But this  decision is not 
up to me. This is up to the MRIC committee members, so let's  hear from 
everyone else. Keep in mind the EMs have authority to override  anything we do, and I 
do not think they will like being explicitly excluded. An  added bonus of 
allowing our supervisors to participate is that it keeps the  discussions more 
professional.

Since Hank and Michael have authorization from their EMs to join the  email 
discussions, I felt they fit the criteria we agreed upon at our first  meeting. 
Incidentally, they outrank their ROs and have more say over what gets  
approved in the Association. Their participation ensures a more favorable vote  by 
the Association.

Terry does not have authority to speak for the state RACES, but my  
understanding is he does have authority to speak for DHMH and I added him so he  could 
participate in the discussion of DHMH requirements and available  equipment. 
He was referred to us by MEMA, so I inferred that adding him would  not be an 
issue with MEMA, and did not think it would be a problem with any  other 
jurisdiction, but then again, it is up to us. If anyone objects, please  speak up.

Regarding Terry creating a DHMH RACES Group, it is my understanding of the  
FCC regulations that the RACES Officer reports to the EM (formerly called Civil 
 Defense) of a jurisdiction. If it is true that Terry is planning on creating 
a  RACES group at DHMH, I hope he is doing so with the approval of MEMA (i.e. 
the  state EM). It was my understanding in talking with Terry recently, that 
the  local RACES organization in each jurisdiction would be providing the 
service for  DHMH, rather than DHMH themselves. Perhaps Terry can clarify.

Brett Hammond
Chairman, MRIC

In a message dated 3/18/2007 11:49:52 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
wb0egr at comcast.net writes:
Brett,

I am concerned about the addition of  Hank Black to this e-mail reflector 
since he is not a RACES Officer for MEMA  or any other jurisdiction, and 
I express the same concern about Mike  Boldosser, a Talbot County 
Emergency Planner.  I would also be  expressing a similar concern over 
the addition of Terry Sapp from DHMH,  except that I know that DHMH is 
looking to form a RACES Group in the near  future and Terry might be 
their first RO, hence he has a bona fide reason  for being in this group.

I feel that if Hank, Mike, or any other  jurisdiction's personnel need to 
find something out about MRIC, then they  should obtain that information 
from their RO.  After all, is not that  why you wanted to form this 
e-mail reflector rather than using the MDRACES  Yahoo Group since the 
MDRACES Yahoo Group was too open?

I believe  that if we start letting everyone into this that is not either 
a RACES  Officer nor a Deputy or Assistant RACES Officer, then the 
basis/foundation  of this group will be lost.  I believe that by keeping  
MRIC to  only ROs & Assistant/Deputy ROs, we will be more effective at 
fulfilling  the mission the Emergency Managers Association has task us.

73,
Pat  Scolla, wb0egr
Harford County RACES Officer

BrettHam at aol.com  wrote:
> All:
>
> Today I added some new folks to our MRIC  email reflector  list:
>
> Bob Lovell - Kent Assistant RO with  permission from the Kent EM.  You may 
> recall Bob voted for Kent in  Jeff's absence during our meeting in  
Annapolis last 
>  month.
>
> Michael Boldosser - Talbot Emergency Planner, per   Talbot EM
>  
> Hank Black - State Communications Officer, per  MEMA
>
> Terry Sapp -  State CRI Coordinator, Office of  Preparedness & Response, 
> Maryland  Department of Health &  Mental Hygiene (DHMH), per MEMA
>  
> They all have authority  from their jurisdictions to speak on behalf of  
the 
> jurisdiction.  Terry is a little different in that he was added at  the 
request 
>  of MEMA, to participate in RACES frequency coordination (more on  this in 
a  
> future email), but does not speak for MEMA. If anyone has any   objections 
to 
> them being added, please let me know. Thank  you.
>  
> Brett Hammond
> Chairman, MRIC

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