The Inter­na­tion­al Ama­teur Radio Union Region 2 has run its first Emer­gency Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Work­shop focus­ing on aware­ness, coop­er­a­tion and ama­teur radio response to emer­gen­cies and disasters.

The two-day work­shop was held in held in Can­cun, Mex­i­co, on Sep­tem­ber 24–25 in con­junc­tion with the IARU Region 2 XVIII Gen­er­al Assembly.

Spon­sored by IARU Region 2 and the Amer­i­can Radio Relay League, it was co-chaired by ARRL Emer­gency Pre­pared­ness Man­ag­er Mike Corey KI1U, and IARU Region 2 Emer­gency Coor­di­na­tor Dr Cesar Pio San­tos HR2P.

A num­ber of action points flowed from it. These includ­ed a greater pub­lic edu­ca­tion on the val­ue of Ama­teur Radio. The gen­er­al pub­lic as well as served agen­cies need to be aware of what we can do and why it is valuable.

The greater need for high-speed video, data, and high res­o­lu­tion imagery by served agen­cies. That the IARU con­sid­ers ask­ing the ITU about devel­op­ing equip­ment man­u­fac­tur­ers part­ner­ships to assist with the com­mu­ni­ca­tions response to large inter­na­tion­al disasters.

More young radio ama­teurs be encour­aged to attend and present at inter­na­tion­al emer­gency com­mu­ni­ca­tions work­shops such the one just held and the annu­al Glob­al Ama­teur Radio Emer­gency Con­fer­ence (GAREC).

Cross-bor­der coop­er­a­tion and coor­di­na­tion of radio ama­teurs be encour­aged along with aware­ness of cul­tur­al dif­fer­ences that may arise in inter­na­tion­al response.

Those par­tic­i­pat­ing were from with­in IARU R2 and out­side it, heard pre­sen­ta­tions on the ITU response to dis­as­ters, tech­ni­cal inno­va­tions in dis­as­ter response, the IARU Emer­gency Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Hand­book project, and also a table-top exercise.

- Jim Lin­ton VK3PC, Chair­man IARU Region 3 Dis­as­ter Com­mu­ni­ca­tions Committee.