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Due to the success of Ham Radio's response in crises such as Hurricane Katrina and many others, the governent is working on finding a place for Ham Radio permanently within it's disaster response structure. At this time, there are bills being considered. No final decisions have been made.

One of the most important jobs for Ham Radio operators is to help various government entities such as police and fire departments communicate with each other. All these years after 9/11 and also after several natural disasters, these departments still do not have a system available to communicate. This major issue needs fixing pronto! The safety of everyone in this country depends on it.

If it is allowed, Ham Radio can come to the rescue here. The decision needs to be made quickly so that the operators can begin thier practice drills in their new roles. Disaster drills of this sort do take place several times a year in local areas and involve police, fire, Red Cross and other entities, so work on the national level will mean making some changes, not developing a whole new program. Still, operators need time to work out the bugs.

Any citizens wishing to get involved can help in several ways. Research this topic and encourage government officials to turn such bills into laws. Also, anyone wishing to join the Ham Radio community is welcome. Passing a 35-question exam is all that is needed to get the Ham Radio Technician's license (go to ARRL.org for more information on Ham Radio) which is the first step in becomig involved.