"Volunteers Needed" Clearing House Now Live on ARRL Web Site!

NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 9, 2005--The Hurricane Katrina Amateur Radio Volunteers Needed Clearing House now is live on the ARRL Web site. This database will be the primary means for relief organizations requiring Amateur Radio volunteers for communication support to list their needs. Additionally, volunteers looking to help may search the listings to match up their capabilities with the various requirements.

"The purpose of this ARRL Web tool is to make it easier on both the agency in need, and the Amateur Radio operator to find matches to fill various requirements," said ARRL Special Assistant to the CEO Dave Patton, NN1N. "We have rapidly learned that during regional and national disasters such as that resulting from Katrina, bottlenecks and bureaucracy slow down responses to aid requests. This tool should help the Field Organization cope."

Representatives of relief organizations or served agencies can post their communications requirements on this site for Amateur Radio operators to see. Patton asked organizations lacking a volunteer coordinator who is familiar with Amateur Radio to indicate in the "needs" section that they're looking for an Amateur Radio volunteer coordinator in addition to radio operators.

Relief agencies seeking Amateur Radio volunteers will be asked to enter basic information about their organizations and their needs, including specific locations in the disaster area. The League anticipates making the Volunteers Needed database available in the future when groups may need the services of Amateur Radio volunteers to supplement or provide emergency or public service communication.

"If you are an Amateur Radio operator wishing to volunteer, use the search engine on the site to find listings of agencies that are looking for your help," Patton added.

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of Joe Tomasone, AB2M, the League has been using the Hurricane Katrina Disaster Communications Volunteer Registration and Message Traffic Database he developed as its primary site for prospective Amateur Radio volunteers to offer their services in the current disaster. On behalf of the ARRL, Patton expressed appreciation for Tomasone's prompt response to fill this need on short notice.

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