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- From : W6HIR @ WA6NWE.#NOCAL.CA.USA
- Msgid : $RACESBUL.182
- Subject : RACESBUL.182
-
-
-
- TO: ALL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES/OFFICES VIA THE ARS
- INFO: ALL RACES OPERATORS IN CA (ALLCA: OFFICIAL)
- ALL AMATEURS U.S. (@ USA: INFORMATION)
- FROM: CA STATE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES (W6HIR @ WA6NWE.CA)
- 2800 Meadowview Rd., Sacramento, CA 95832 (916)427-4281
- RACESBUL.182 DATE: August 12, 1991
- SUBJECT: PRESS - PUBLIC RELATIONS - Part 1/5
- PRESS - PUBLIC RELATIONS FOR HAMS
- An address by
- PAUL W. GIRARD
- Contra Costa County R.A.C.E.S.
- Emergency Response Institute
- October 27, 1990 - San Ramon, CA
- The theme of the Fourth Emergency Response Institute has
- been centered around the "Changing Role of Amateur Radio in the
- 1990's." There have been changes, and there will be more. It
- isn't going to be over until the fat lady sings and she isn't
- nearly in top form ... yet!
- Yesterday, when the role change was mentioned by one
- speaker, it brought a kind and gentle, but firm, rebuke from one
- of the "elder statesmen" of the Amateur Radio community. He
- reminded us that our task was to provide communications when no
- other way was feasible....and that when "ham" operators were no
- longer necessary, they should, in effect..."go home."
- In the final analysis, when we are no longer necessary to an
- event maybe we ought to fade into the woodwork.
- On the other hand, maybe the Ham operators ought to openly
- display a multifaceted talent pool.
- We heard about the exploits of one Ham, a mechanic, who
- saved the bacon of a California Department of Forestry and Fire
- Protection engine crew with fuel pump problems in the middle of a
- fire. We heard reports of another group of hams who fixed the
- antenna system of a city in trouble. They fixed the problem
- under adverse conditions, and got the city back on track.
- Some newspaper editors used to have `hot flashes' when a
- local ham made contact with King Hussein of Jordan, who is a ham
- operator. Golly, there would be pictures and bylined stories,
- and all sort of stuff.
- During hurricanes, and floods, in remote parts of the world
- in which local hams were active, we used to be able to pickup 5
- to 20 inches of copy. No more!
- (to be continued)
- EOM
-
-