"Roger Halstead" wrote in message
...
We (hams) have a very good working relationship with the county. When
they built their new Law Enforcement Center the Emergency Operations
Center in it included a ham station. The mobile EOC van also has a
ham station built in. These are not just 2-meter FM mobiles either.

In addition, we are working on small, limited range portable repeaters
for voice, data, and video in conjunction with the EOC.

Some years back I served as the communications for one of the
evacuation centers when a train with some really nasty stuff, derailed
quite some distance away. That operation took a lot of hams as the
evacuation area was quite large. We were fortunate that the wind
pretty much favored us, but it changed enough that the shelter where I
was located had to be moved *in a hurry*. (I now carry a gas mask
in my kit) Moving a whole bunch of people who have just been awakened
at 2 AM, through a cloud of *stuff* that makes it difficult to breathe
and very limited visibility is an experience.

And therein lies the major difference. Whereas it is not a 'mandate' in the
true sense of the word, it has long been a standing relationship between
amateur radio ops and the local, state and federal authorities that hams
perform essential communications and other assistance during times of
emergency. (this is why, among other things, ham plates are not considered
vanity plates in most, if not all, states). And these towers and arrays are
important to the facilitation of those emergency communications.