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ARLB043 ARRL receives homeland security training grant

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ARRL Bulletin 43  ARLB043
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  July 19, 2002
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB043
ARLB043 ARRL receives homeland security training grant

The ARRL will receive a $181,900 homeland security grant from the US
government to train Amateur Radio operators in emergency
communication. The League was among several dozen nonprofit
organizations designated to receive some $10.3 million in federal
money to boost homeland defense volunteer programs. The grant, from
the Corporation for National and Community Service special volunteer
program, will provide free ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Course training to 5200 volunteers nationwide,
starting in 2003.

''ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio and is the
national leader in emergency communications by volunteers who
operate their own equipment on their time at no cost to any
government, organization, or corporation,'' said the announcement
July 18 from Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge. The ARRL plans to
revise and update the emergency communications curriculum to
incorporate additional elements of emergency preparedness and
homeland security.

ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, said he was extremely pleased by
the news. ''This adds legitimacy to the public service work Amateur
Radio has been doing for years,'' he said.

ARRL Chief Development Officer Mary Hobart, K1MMH, applied for the
funding in May. ''I think this is an extraordinarily exciting day for
Amateur Radio that the role of Amateur Radio in homeland security is
recognized at the highest levels of government,'' Hobart said upon
learning of the grant.

Citing Amateur Radio's response in the aftermath of the September 11
terrorist attacks, Hobart said the federal grant ''will help continue
our work in providing public service and to protect lives, homes,
businesses and our frequencies, as we have for decades.''

ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, said he was pleased
that the League would be able to extend its Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications program to thousands of amateurs who might otherwise
not be able to afford the program. ''We hope all who are interested
will get on board,'' he said.

The grant announcement said that ''expanding the opportunities for
Americans to participate in meaningful volunteer service'' is at the
heart of President George Bush's USA Freedom Corps, of which the
Corporation for National and Community Service is a part.

''We are deeply grateful to Tom Ridge and to the Corporation for
National and Community Service for providing Amateur Radio with a
unique opportunity to serve our country,'' Hobart said.

In June, the ARRL and United Technologies Corporation announced a
partnership to provide free ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Course training for up to 250 Connecticut amateurs.
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