REACT News Desk (SUITLAND,MD) -- May 5, 2008
A Young Hero
SUITLAND, MD -- Matthew Lovo Jr., or simply "Matty" to his friends, is a hero. On August 6, 2007, using quick wits and the two-way radio in his father's semi-truck, he called for help while he steered his father's semi-truck out danger. Matty is nine years old. Today he was presented the REACT 'Radio Hero Award' for his heroism and using two-way radio communications to save a life.
Click here for the rest of the story.

REACT News Desk (SUITLAND,MD) -- March 8, 2008
New RI Board Officers Elected
During the Annual Meeting of the Board held March 7th thru 8th in Suitland, the Board elected Don Manlove as President, replacing Dick Cooper who declined to accept a 3rd 2-year term. Ed Greany was re-elected as Executive VP, Norman Kaplan re-elected as Treasurer, and Lee Besing was re-elected as Secretary. John Knott was re-elected as Board Chairman and Stan Walters was elected to be Vice Chairman. More details with photos available on the Board of Directors web page. Minutes from this meeting will be made available once approved for release by the board, within 30-60 days, \ and a summary published in the next issue of the REACTer as usual.

REACT News Desk (SUITLAND,MD) -- March 1, 2008
February 2008 Team Topics
TEAM TOPICS REVISITED
Currently, the plans are to try to publish Team Topics in the even months: February, April, June, August, October and December. The August and December Team Topics may be delayed until September and January. Full Article .

REACT News Desk (SUITLAND,MD) -- February 12, 2008
Team Topics has returned
Will wonders never cease, at least that's what some people say. I would be curious to know how many REACT members remember the Team Topics publication of several years ago. Well, here it is again. Read , learn and enjoy..

The Board called a special meeting on November 25, 2007, to appoint Stan Walters to the remaining term of Region 1 Director, a term which expires in the summer of 2009. Region 1 covers the US states of Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, and Pennsylvania. Stan replaced Fred Lanshe who resigned at the Summer Board meeting last August. Stan is a licensed operator for Amateur and GMRS Radio.

Stan has completed the training for CERT, Threat & Risk Assessment, Enhanced Threat & Risk Assessment and SKYWARN, plus Highway Watch program. and most of the various FEMA ICS / NIMS courses. He serves as one of the local National Traffic System (NTS) net controllers for the amateur radio Capital Area Traffic Net in south-central Pennsylvania. He has been the President of York County REACT since it was chartered in Sept 2006. He's active with the local VOAD, having made training presentations to them on Logistics (LSAs and PODs) and Working with Spontaneous Unaffiliated Volunteers. He was recently been invited to become a member of YARS (the York ARES/RACES SKYWARN committee).

Your Board is using a FREE Conference software package from www.GoTeamSpeak.org to hold informal and formal electronic Board Meetings, similar to telephone conference method, but using the Internet instead to avoid phone charges and to allow text messaging or file transfer (via email) to aid in discussion.

Members are welcomed to "drop in" on these board meetings, as they are for the physical board meetings. If you are interested in configuring a copy of this software on your computer, click on the logo above and download the CLIENT program, and then set the TeamSpeak server name to "teamspeak.reactintl.org" pick your user name (real name preferred) and connect. Here is a link to a screen-shot of the screen when a board meeting is in process.

This method of communicating can also be made available for use by local Teams or Councils to avoid travel time / expenses, or to communicate during a regional emergencies / exercises. This is similar to running a Radio Net, where you have a Net Control who runs the net, giving each operator / user time to speak. You can send text messages to the group / channel, or to just one user (the software calls them players).

Confused About Receiving the REACTer Magazine?

If you HAVE NOT been receiving the REACTer magazine, and you are a registered member (not a Family member), please update your personal mailing / contact info using the online form available here You can download it each month electronically, and you can opt out of receiving it via mail, but all registered adult members (not family or extended family) should receive a copy of the magazine.

Learn how to use the various types of radios used by most REACT> Teams, the proper way. Replaces the old monitoring guides for CB and GMRS previously distributed. Every Team should have a copy of this.