Here is a posting to the ARRLSBCLUBS listserver by Jeff Reinhardt, and I am reposting it here. There are some good ideas here!

ARRLSBCLUBS - Helping Your Club Grow and Prosper. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To all Santa Barbara Section Clubs and Public Info Officers: Below please find a posting I sent to the ARRL PR Reflector. Below that, also find a release I sent out relative to my club, the Conejo Valley ARC. To summarize both; let's do all we can to call attention to the communications role we play in these critical times. Jeff Reinhardt AA6JR ===========================

As evidenced on this reflector the past few days, we're seeing a "cluster" of stories erupt around ham radio, mostly tied to homeland security and the war effort.

Take this is both an opportunity and as a lesson on how the media works. News operations often take their cue from one another. I don't think its a coincidence that we see a story from Paul Harvey, some stories in daily newspapers and now the electronic media are making contacts seeking a line on Amateur Radio's role in Homeland Security and military operations.

Let's be prepared and also do some outreach with local media outlets, who are always looking for a "local angle" on a big story. Pull together the facts, eg: how many hams in your area active in ARES, RACES and/or MARS.

Identify any hams who may have additional roles with support organizations such as Red Cross/Salvation Army.

True we're not THE story, but we're part of the bigger story and that can work to our benefit, particularly if we're able to plug our other roles, such as education, storm watch, etc.

For additional info, refer to the PR Manual on the ARRL web page (in the PR section). We have a good opportunity here, don't let it pass without some effort at making a positive tie in for ham radio and the good people who volunteer so much time to others.

Thanks, Jeff Reinhardt AA6JR Chairman - ARRL PR Committee Public Info Coordinator - Santa Barbara Section ------------------

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Reinhardt PIO (818) 706-3853

For Immediate Release

Local Ham Radio Operators Support Homeland Security Effort

THOUSAND OAKS, CA-Amateur Radio (or "Ham") operators are ready and able to assist in any activity related to Homeland Security emergencies that may occur in Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

With hundreds of licensed operators in the area, the radio volunteers stand ready to assist the Ventura County and Los Angeles County Sheriff's departments as a "ready reserve" of communications experts that can overcome obstacles and assist with interagency communications.

"Ham radio operators are ready to go at a moment's notice," said Greg Lane, a Newbury Park resident who coordinates emergency responders for the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. "We hold weekly drills to test our equipment and to keep our personal communications skills sharp."

The volunteers also participate in field drills, where they set up operations in support of community events, such as art festivals, fund-raising walks and bike rides and tests of their abilities to set up radio communications without the benefit of commercial power, using their own batteries and generators.

Hams also assist with passing messages to members of the military, conveying greetings from family members or news from home, such as the birth of a new baby. "The traffic handling system established by hams is one of the most enduring services performed by radio volunteers, " said Rob Hanson, of Thousand Oaks. "Time and again it has proven its worth during emergencies such as earthquakes, hurricanes or floods. Following a major event, such as the hurricane in Hawaii a few years ago, hams are often the first to establish communications and help get assistance to where it is needed most. We have a great tradition of service."

Persons interested in learning more about ham radio can contact the Conejo Valley Amateur Radio Club web site at www.cvarc.org or at the website of the American Radio Relay League at www.arrl.org. ### _______________________________________________

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