The following link, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVZlK6M8WQ is an outstanding Public Safety video that describes "The Interoperability Continuum" which (in layman's terms) is a plan to improve communications or "a path to achieving optimum interoperability by broadening relationships". "Knowing who the players are around you" is a mission critical statement and to quote from the video, "The reality is, the most important ingredient in interoperability is relationships". "Relationships count and mean something". As a side note, our own Cherokee ARES members, Randy Kerr, KD4KHO, is in this video at 12:06 and 12:35 with great comments.

Examples of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina (i.e. "we need 150 helicopters, we only have 4"), floods, forest fires, etc. are discussed. Communications issues are discussed and what the IC plan does to improve and overcome issues, BEFORE a disaster happens.

This video, while describing Public Safety planning, etc., is a model for what ARES should be about. We should be a "fluid" organization, that knows our neighbors, i.e. City, County, State (and surrounding) ham operators, repeater owners, ARES members, CERT members, EMA Directors, Newspaper Editors, etc., and build strong professional quality relationships with these folks. We have similar paths to the video such as Training and Exercises through weekly/monthly nets and meetings, to identify what went well, and what needs improvement, which is exactly what the upcoming October 1st, Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is all about.

Recent past events like the hurricane and tornado in Ringgold and elsewhere, provide many additional opportunities for "lessons learned". As stated before, the emergency for communications should not become the on scene disaster. As hams, "When All Else Fails, Ham Radio" gets the message through.

I would urge each of you to view this video and key in on "relationships", and even show this at your next monthly ham meeting. Working together with served agencies for parades, bike rides, air shows, etc. provide a huge visible relationship of how we as hams can help. If Public Safety realizes they need to "put aside egos, politics, and economics", because "we are dealing with people's lives", then so should ARES. Let's work together to be as active and faithful to check in on nets, support each other countywide, statewide and beyond. We have a great ARES group in Georgia, complimented with excellent ARES leadership. Are we prepared to be the best we can be? As school as started, it is approaching report card time (the SET) and time to grade ourselves.

Thanks for all you do, your time, effort, and money buying equipment, maintaining repeaters, and sharing one of the best hobbies around.

Jim Millsap
DEC-Metro Atlanta