Washington, DC -- Michael D. Brown, Under Secretary of Homeland Security for Emergency Preparedness and Response, today announced an official affiliation between the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and President Bush's Citizen Corps initiative. At the ARRL National Conference, sponsored by "Ham-Com," celebrating its 25th anniversary in Arlington, Texas, an affiliate partnership was signed between ARRL and Citizen Corps. The signed partnership will raise public awareness about the use of Amateur Radio as a public safety resource, provide training and accreditation for Amateur Radio Emergency Communications, as well as assist Citizen Corps Councils with public education, training and volunteer service opportunities that support first responders, disaster relief organizations, and community safety efforts.

"The affiliation between Citizen Corps and the American Radio Relay League will help raise public awareness about public safety through the use of Amateur Radio," Brown said. "I look forward to working with the American Radio Relay League to expand the role citizens play within their community to be more secure and better able to respond to disasters of all kinds."

The agreement adds the ARRL as an affiliate to the four charter Citizen Corps programs: Neighborhood Watch, Volunteers in Police Service, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), and Medical Reserve Corps. The ARRL joins the National Safety Council, Points of Light Foundation, National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster, National Volunteer Fire Council, National Fire Protection Association, Save A Life Foundation, and The U.S. Junior Chamber as Citizen Corps affiliate programs.

Under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, Citizen Corps is a community-based initiative to engage all citizens in homeland security and community and family preparedness through public education and outreach, training opportunities, and volunteer programs. Programs under the Citizen Corps umbrella include federally sponsored programs and other activities that share the goal of helping communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to all-hazards. Citizen Corps encourages all Americans to take an active role in building safer, stronger, and better-prepared communities.

The ARRL is a non-commercial membership association of radio amateurs organized for the promotion of interest in Amateur Radio communication and experimentation, for the establishment of networks to provide communications in the event of disasters or other emergencies, for the advancement of the public welfare, for the representation of the Radio Amateur in legislative and regulatory matters. ARRL is the principal organization representing the interests of the more than 650,000 U.S. Radio Amateurs. Because of its organized emergency communications capability, ARRL's Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) can be of valuable assistance in providing critical and essential communications during emergencies and disasters when normal lines of communication are disrupted. ARRL conducts emergency communications training and certifies proficiency in emergency communications skills.

President Bush created the USA Freedom Corps office at the White House to foster an American culture of service, citizenship and responsibility. Through the USA Freedom Corps, President Bush wants to help every American answer the call to service by strengthening and expanding service opportunities to protect our homeland, support our communities and extend American compassion around the world. Interested volunteers can find information on the USA Freedom Corps at www.usafreedomcorps.gov or by calling 1-877-USA-CORPS.

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