Good morning.
A new day begins, but with fresh memories of what can go wrong and what it takes to make things right.

Below is a link to a Business Week article which describes why cell phone networks fail in emergencies.

www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-04-16...-fail-in-emergencies

As hams, you know this already. But, it is worth repeating because it speaks to why you are important in emergencies:

As hams, we have a unique capacity to fill the communication gap 'When All Else Fails'.
But, it takes more than frequency allocations, and it takes more than equipment.
- It takes training, and practice and discipline, and all of those take time.

The Boston Police and all supporting services did a commendable job. Inevitably, some of their success in capturing Number 2 was luck and civilian cooperation. But that luck would not have been enough without well honed methodologies to scale up, coordinate, and pivot on demand.
- It wasn't just 'throwing bodies' at the problem. It was throwing smarts as well. It was networking to connect the dots in a highly kinetic situation where the odds of failure are greater than the odds of success.

* * *

We are now entering another hurricane season, after a period two and one half years of five major storms.
- Maybe Mother Nature will take the rest of this year off, and vacation in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Maybe she'll show us what a direct hit is like, in case we didn't get a hint from our next door neighbors.
- Maybe she won't test us for three years or more, and that would be a good thing, because we are not now remotely capable of dealing with that on a variety of levels.

Here's the point:
Compared to the Boston Police and other First Responders, we hams have a relatively modest role to play. But, it can be a vital one. As Region 2 DEC Douglas Sharafanowich likes to say, 'When it comes time for us to play, it's not an emergency... It's a DISASTER.' When we're needed, we're REALLY needed.

But, we can only fulfill that need IF WE'RE PREPARED.
And that's the purpose of Amateur Radio Emergency Service, to prepare to provide service in circumstances that we hope and pray will never occur.

Is that worth our time and trouble?
When it's really needed, it's priceless.

* * *

So, at the risk of shamelessly promoting ARES on the coattails of the unfortunate tragedy in Boston, let me suggest making a commitment to ARES to fulfill one of the obligations of our license: to provide public service.
And, I urge you to pass this message on to other hams you know and encourage them to join us.

Be well, be safe.

73,
Sid, N1MVM
Emergency Coordinator - Guilford
CT ARES - Region 2