The 2nd gath­er­ing of those involved emer­gency com­mu­ni­ca­tions for the Amer­i­c­as was held on Octo­ber 11, with 30 per cent more par­tic­i­pants this time when com­pared with Mex­i­co in 2013. 

The work­shop co-chaired by the IARU Region 2 Coor­di­na­tor Cesar Pio San­tos HR2P, and ARRL Emer­gency Pre­pared­ness Man­ag­er Mike Corey KI1U, was spon­sored by the IARU and ARRL, coin­cid­ed with the IARU Region 2 conference. 

There were many speak­ers on inter­na­tion­al issues fac­ing Ama­teur Radio’s response to emer­gen­cies and disasters. 

Major pre­sen­ta­tions includ­ed those from the radio soci­eties of Chile, Mex­i­co and Venezuela; Sal­va­tion Army Team Emer­gency Radio Net­work; Inter­na­tion­al Telecom­mu­ni­ca­tions Union (ITU); and the Ama­teur Radio Emer­gency Data Net­work (AREDN).

Dis­cus­sion both inside and out­side the work­shop focused on the themes dis­cussed in the first work­shop as well as new focus area to address in IARU Region 2. 

It includ­ed the con­tin­u­al need for greater pub­lic edu­ca­tion on the val­ue of Ama­teur Radio; cross bor­der exer­cis­es pro­vide to prac­tice response capa­bil­i­ty ahead of large scale dis­as­ters, and that Emer­gency Coor­di­na­tors explore hav­ing an online emer­gency com­mu­ni­ca­tions library for all engaged, and those who want to be involved. 

A 3rd IARU Region 2 emer­gency com­mu­ni­ca­tions work­shop was pro­posed to be held. 

A full report is at: http://www.iaru-r2.org/wp-content/uploads/Press-Release-English.pdf

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