K1CE For a Final
I was reminded once again of the old adage "It only takes one to screw things up for everybody else," when I had a sad conversation with an EC who had had his ARES program and volunteers removed from their EOC.

One member had undermined the entire organization's relationship by continuing a campaign of complaints and demands to the emergency manager about how Amateur Radio must be positioned and incorporated in the EOC. Incredibly, the individual's campaign ratcheted up to include complaints to the county commissioners.

Although relatively rare occurrences, these things do happen. And that is why we need to reevaluate and renew our understanding of our role in the emergency management structure and EOC from time to time, which is the following:
It is a privilege, not a right, that we are in the EOC.

- We are there to provide a transparent service to the emergency manager, who is the professional.

- We take orders from, and provide communications for messages only authorized by, the professional emergency management team.

- We are not there to tell them how to run the emergency management function; nor are we there to make demands for things like, believe it or not, sirens and flashing lights for our vehicles. Nor, complain.

- We need to be quiet assets, heard only when requested by the professionals, and not liabilities.

Most understand these principles.

But, often it is just one idiot who can destroy all of the long and hard work of ARES members and leaders to gain the trust and consequent invitation -- and privilege -- to serve in the EOC.

The daunting challenge to the ARES EC is to identify these individuals and contain them before they can embark on their path to destruction of arguably the most critical relationship in all of Amateur Radio: the solemn relationship between ARES and the EOC. And that is not an easy challenge to meet.

-- K1CE
ARRL E Letter (Aug. 21,2013)
www.arrl.org/ares-el?issue=2013-08-21