NEWINGTON, Conn., September 14, 2001 -- Amateur Radio operators are volunteering their communications skills in New York City, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere to assist the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army and others involved in the aftermath of this domestic tragedy. Many of the operators involved are affiliated with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) or the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES).
Amateur Radio operators in New York City are providing backup for overloaded Red Cross communications systems and staffing Red Cross Shelters, various Red Cross units, and the New York City office of Emergency Management.
In Washington, D.C., approximately two dozen operators have been staffing stations set up in the vicinity of the Pentagon and have been providing communications support for the many services currently being provided by the Salvation Army.
In times of disaster, the nation's ham radio operators are often the first to volunteer their communications expertise. Those currently involved, and additional operators who may be recruited to help, likely will be involved for weeks to come.
Today, there are nearly 700,000 Amateur Radio operators in the United States and more than 2.5 million worldwide. Information on how to become involved in Amateur Radio is available from the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 or by calling 1-800-32-NEW HAM. The URL for ARRL's home page is www.arrl.org.