SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX009
ARLX009 FCC, federal agencies shut down after terrorist attacks
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Special Bulletin 9 ARLX009
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 11, 2001
To all radio amateurs
SB SPCL ARL ARLX009
ARLX009 FCC, federal agencies shut down after terrorist attacks
Along with most other federal agencies, the FCC has closed its
offices and sent its employees home in the wake of apparent
terrorist attacks this morning in New York City, Washington, DC, and
elsewhere. The FCC has issued no emergency declaration nor other
special instructions to the Amateur Radio community. The ARRL has
advised amateurs to stay alert to instructions from local
authorities. President George W. Bush has announced that the US
military is on high alert in the US and abroad.
US air traffic was shut down after two airliners struck the twin
towers of the 110-story World Trade Center in New York City this
morning within a short time of each other. The building's towers
partially collapsed in the wake of the collisions. An aircraft
subsequently crashed into the Pentagon, and another aircraft crashed
near Pittsburgh, reportedly after being hijacked. American Airlines
and United Airlines both have acknowledged that they have lost
planes this morning. More than 260 died in the crashes. Thousands
were believed injured in New York City; there's no estimate on the
number killed.
New York City-Long Island Section Emergency Coordinator Tom
Carrubba, KA2D, said there has been no request for any Amateur Radio
Emergency Service response at this time, although hams have been
requested to assist the American Red Cross. New York City's
emergency management offices are located in the World Trade Center.
He said he was alerting all amateurs, especially ARES and Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service personnel, to get prepared and to
stand by. Carrubba said he's in the process of setting up a command
channel on a linked repeater system that will cover the area from
New York City into Long Island's Suffolk County. Kenneth Goetz,
N2SQW, reports New York State RACES is operational on 3.993.5 and
7.248 MHz handling emergency and governmental-type traffic. He asked
amateurs to avoid these frequencies.
In the Washington, DC, area, Virginia SEC Tom Gregory, N4NW, says
Virginia ARES has been put on alert but has not yet been activated.
''I've asked everyone to monitor the emergency frequencies and to
keep a full tank of gas.'' He said the attack on Washington has
resulted in a massive traffic jam as workers in DC attempt to leave
the capital; cellular telephone communication was
next-to-impossible. While no emergency nets are in operation yet,
Gregory said all repeaters would be available as well as 7.243 MHz
and 3.947 MHz on HF.
Virginia RACES reportedly has been activated at the state emergency
operations center at Virginia State Police headquarters in Richmond
as a precautionary measure.
The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth today suggested that the amateur
community remain calm but ready. He invited amateurs monitoring any
suspicious radio activity to contact him, and he will relay relevant
information to the FCC duty team. He advised monitors to tape such
radio traffic, if possible.
Should a state of war be declared, Amateur Radio would not
automatically be shut down. This requirement was eliminated prior to
the Gulf War.
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