BREAKING NEWS! FCC Amends Part 97 regarding employee participation in emeregency drills

The FCC has just announced that it is changing the Part 97 rules to
allow unlimited paid employee participation in government sponsored
drills and exercises, and will also allow limited paid employee
participation in non-government exercises and drills.  This is truly a
great breakthrough for EmComm.
Here is the actual NPRM http://www.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2010/db0714/FCC-10-124A1.pdf

C.O.R.E. Group member Frank Metcalfe (AA4AE) reports from Haiti

On February 4 C.O.R.E. Group member Frank Metcalfe left with Southern Baptist Disaster Relief services which he is very active with for Haiti.  While in Haiti Frank and the Souther Baptist Disaster Relief crew have been active establishing medical clinics around the city of Port au Prince, providing inspections of buildings to ensure people that they’re safe to sleep in and establishing communications links with other relief organizations in the area.

The following information discusses the situation in Haiti and the activities of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief in Frank’s own words.

“We got to Haiti via Santo Domingo on 4 Feb and if all goes according to plan, we will fly out of Port au Prince Haiti this Saturday.

I came in a dual role, operations for our Southern Baptist Relief effort and as MARS/Ham for the same.  We have had very little need for HF communications as we do have generator/battery power and internet service here at our compound.  We have established 2meter and HF contact with other med ops here, the largest being Miami University Hospital set up at the airport.  We will likely set up a feeding unit there for their medical staff and patients.  They have had nothing but MREs since they arrived.

Damage is as bad as shown, on top of an already impoverished country.  We are setting up medical clinics around the city, some in churches, some in or around tent cities (one under a palm roof in a tent city.)  Translators (6) and Security (2-4 depending on area) go with each medical team.

We also have home inspector/chaplain teams that check homes and churches to see if they are sound enough for use.  Many people here have homes but are afraid to stay in them so they sleep in tents outside.  We are trying to help them get back inside before rain season starts.  All our doctors, inspectors and other workers here are volunteers.”

Please join me in wishing Frank well and praying for him, the rest of the aid workers in Haiti and for the people of Haiti.

Emergency Traffic Frequencies for Haiti Earthquake

UPDATE *****

The IARU and other organizations have released all amateur frequencies which were being used to coordinate relief efforts for the Haiti Disaster to regular amateur use.

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Attention All Amateurs. In response to the earthquake which resulted in massive destruction and loss of life in Haiti, the IARU Region 2 has requested that certain frequencies be kept clear for emergency traffic. In addition to Organized nets on 7.045 and 3.720 several other frequencies may be used to coordinate health and welfare or other traffic related to the current situation in Haiti.

The list of frequencies that the ARRL recommends keeping clear are 14.265 MHz, 14.300 MHz, 7.045 MHz, 7.265 MHz, 3.977 MHz and 3.720 MHz.

As always regardless of what frequency you may be on if you hear traffic related to this or any emergency please give priority to the emergency traffic, assist if you can or try to put the individual in contact with someone who can assist.

For the ARRL write-up visit http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2010/01/13/11288/?nc=1 or for more generalized info CNN and many other news outlets are carrying continuously updated information.