NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 4, 2006 -- A section of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2007 Appropriations Act,
<http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:h.r.05441:>HR 5441, formally includes Amateur Radio operators as a part of the emergency communications community. Congress approved the measure before adjourning for its pre-election break. President George W. Bush <http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/10/20061004-2.html>signed
the bill into law today.

Amateur Radio is included within the legislation's Subtitle D, Section 671, known as the "21st Century Emergency Communications Act." Radio amateurs are among the entities with which a Regional Emergency Communications Coordination Working Group (RECC Working Group) must coordinate its activities. Included within the DHS's Office of Emergency Communications -- which the measure also creates -- RECC Working Groups attached to each regional DHS office will
advise federal and state homeland security officials.

House Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chairman Rep Harold Rogers (R-KY) sponsored HR 5441. The final version of the legislation incorporates language from both House and Senate bills and was hammered out in a conference committee.

An earlier version of the 21st Century Emergency Communications Act, HR 5852, sponsored by Rep David G. Reichert (R-WA), included Amateur Radio operators among the members of the RECC Working Groups.

In addition to Amateur Radio operators, RECC Working Groups also will coordinate with communications equipment manufacturers and vendors -- including broadband data service providers, local exchange carriers, local broadcast media, wireless carriers, satellite communications services, cable operators, hospitals, public utility services, emergency evacuation transit services, ambulance services, and representatives from other private sector entities and
nongovernmental organizations.

According to the bill, the RECC Working Groups will assess the survivability, sustainability and interoperability of local emergency communication systems to meet the goals of the National Emergency Communications Report. That report would recommend how the US could "accelerate the deployment of interoperable emergency communications nationwide."

RECC Working Groups also will be tasked with ensuring a process to coordinate the establishment of "effective multi-jurisdictional, multi-agency emergency communications networks" that could be brought into play following acts of terrorism, natural disasters and other emergencies.

At the state and local level, RECC Working Groups will include state officials; local government officials; law enforcement; local fire departments; 911 centers; state emergency managers, homeland security directors or representatives of state administrative agencies; local
emergency managers or homeland security directors, and other
emergency response providers.

At the federal level, RECC Working Group members will include representatives of the DHS, the FCC and other federal departments and agencies responsible for coordinating interoperable emergency communication with or providing emergency support services to state, local and tribal governments.

In the wake of the bill's passage, the ARRL plans to follow up to determine how it can interact with the DHS and its Office of Emergency Communications.

(tnx ARRL Web)