09-12-2001, 12:23 AM
From the ARRL...
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 11, 2001--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 buildings towers partially collapsed in the wake of the collissions. 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. New York City's Office of Emergency bunker, located adjacent to the World Trade Center, is reported operational and intact. He said he was alerting all amateurs, especially ARES and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service personnel, to get prepared and to stand by. Carrubba reported that he was not hearing any traffic from NYC hams on their TAC1 VHF frequency. "All land-line circuits are jammed," he said. "We are all on standby."
Carrubba said he's in the process of setting up a command channel on a linked repeater system that will cover from New York City and 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. "Please be alert, prepared and patient," Carrubba said.
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. He said cellular telephone communication was next-to-impossible. "Due to the terrorist activities today, we must remain ready for any eventuality," Gregory added. While no emergency nets are yet in operation, 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. This was said to be a precautionary measure, not a statewide callup.
ARES and RACES organizations are locally managed, and word of additional activations or of direct ham radio involvement in the affected areas is not known at this time.
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. "You never know," he said. He advised monitors to tape such radio traffic, if possible.
The federal government has activated its SHARES HF emergency communications system.
Should a state of war be declared, Amateur Radio would not automatically be shut down. The section of FCC rules requiring this--§214(b)(4) of Title 47 CFR Chapter II--was eliminated prior to the Gulf War.
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 11, 2001--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 buildings towers partially collapsed in the wake of the collissions. 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. New York City's Office of Emergency bunker, located adjacent to the World Trade Center, is reported operational and intact. He said he was alerting all amateurs, especially ARES and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service personnel, to get prepared and to stand by. Carrubba reported that he was not hearing any traffic from NYC hams on their TAC1 VHF frequency. "All land-line circuits are jammed," he said. "We are all on standby."
Carrubba said he's in the process of setting up a command channel on a linked repeater system that will cover from New York City and 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. "Please be alert, prepared and patient," Carrubba said.
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. He said cellular telephone communication was next-to-impossible. "Due to the terrorist activities today, we must remain ready for any eventuality," Gregory added. While no emergency nets are yet in operation, 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. This was said to be a precautionary measure, not a statewide callup.
ARES and RACES organizations are locally managed, and word of additional activations or of direct ham radio involvement in the affected areas is not known at this time.
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. "You never know," he said. He advised monitors to tape such radio traffic, if possible.
The federal government has activated its SHARES HF emergency communications system.
Should a state of war be declared, Amateur Radio would not automatically be shut down. The section of FCC rules requiring this--§214(b)(4) of Title 47 CFR Chapter II--was eliminated prior to the Gulf War.