Amateur Radio in the Fire Service.

[joefireman]

Okay, from the top. I am looking for amateur radio operators in the fire service. My call sign is KD5KWS. I have been a Ham almost all of my life, but I only got my amateur radio operators license in 2000 (hihihihihihi). Grandaddy was a commo man in WWII. He introduced me to shortwave listening and it stuck. I really enjoy it as a hobby and as a service. Here lately with the weather here in Mississippi it's been more service than anything else. I am adamantly pro-code. I don't push it, but I believe that it is an essential part of the amateur service and is something that is best not forgotten. And, I confess that I CAN use a little work on it. I am currently working towards my Extra class license, if I can get my engineering skills up to par. Any further information will be forthcoming. But for now... 73 de KD5KWS

[TruckieorDuckie]

I have several connections here in Maryland that I will give your information too. In my line of work I deal with the RACES people on a semi-regular basis. I was unable to e-mail it to the people but I will attempt to forward it to them. I hope this will help you in your quest.

[joefireman]

I am enlisting any and all people interested in the safe operation of the fire service and in their own safety. There is a BILL in the senate. Short story version... the BILL is S.786 and is being sponsored by Senator Rick Santorum. This BILL would prohibit the National Weather Service, a Government entity, from broadcasting the weather forecasts and predictions. I urge anyone reading this post to contact their Senator and have them kill this BILL. This BILL would inhibit your ability to protect yourself from potentially deadly weather such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. It is a COMMERCE BILL and it looks as if it is designed to deprive the government of a basic tenet, protecting its citizens. Yes, I am ranting, please read the BILL...S.786. The S designator makes it a SENATE bill. That is why it is imperative that you WRITE... don't call, don't e-mail... please spare the $ .37 cents and write to your senator and ask them to stop this BILL. Thank you for your time and good luck in your endeavors should you choose to accept this challenge.

[joefireman]

I have several connections here in Maryland that I will give your information too. In my line of work I deal with the RACES people on a semi-regular basis. I was unable to e-mail it to the people but I will attempt to forward it to them. I hope this will help you in your quest.
Are they firefighters also?

[joefireman]

I am enlisting any and all people interested in the safe operation of the fire service and in their own safety. There is a BILL in the senate. Short story version... the BILL is S.786 and is being sponsored by Senator Rick Santorum. This BILL would prohibit the National Weather Service, a Government entity, from broadcasting the weather forecasts and predictions. I urge anyone reading this post to contact their Senator and have them kill this BILL. This BILL would inhibit your ability to protect yourself from potentially deadly weather such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms. It is a COMMERCE BILL and it looks as if it is designed to deprive the government of a basic tenet, protecting its citizens. Yes, I am ranting, please read the BILL...S.786. The S designator makes it a SENATE bill. That is why it is imperative that you WRITE... don't call, don't e-mail... please spare the $ .37 cents and write to your senator and ask them to stop this BILL. Thank you for your time and good luck in your endeavors should you choose to accept this challenge.

Please read the bill before you act.... I didn't. I jumped in with information from a trusted source. I am not sure if I am going to trust this source again, though.

[TaskForce]

Please read the bill before you act.... I didn't. I jumped in with information from a trusted source. I am not sure if I am going to trust this source again, though.

Have read the bill...Could you talk about what your issues with the bill are?

71,
KC8ZXZ

[TruckieorDuckie]

Are they firefighters also?


Yes they are. I am trying to contact them with this e-mail now.

[Emtmom]

Santorum's weather bill in a squall
Bucks County Courier Times


Sen. Rick Santorum's on the phone, explaining why he wants to control the weather.

The Republican from Pennsylvania introduced Senate Bill 786 on April 14. It will limit the National Weather Service to delivering severe weather forecasts, not daily local forecasts that are profit makers for commercial weather forecasters.

Put it this way: If the media, farmers and the public can get a five-day forecast free from the National Weather Service Web site, who needs AccuWeather?

We do, Santorum said.

"The core mission of the National Weather Service is not the five-day forecast but to prepare the public for weather emergencies," he said.

"The Weather Service should not be investing resources, time and energy in providing travel forecasts for airlines or Pebble Beach or ski resorts."

I pointed out that AccuWeather takes government weather data we already have paid for through taxes, packages and resells it at a profit. That seems unfair. But Santorum had a comeback.

"The government should not compete in an area outside its mission where there is a private sector available," he said.

For 55 years, the Weather Service has had a no-compete clause in its charter, he said.

But it was repealed last December allowing anyone access to weather data long mined by commercial weather forecasters.

"[The National Weather Service] changed their policy to do something they hadn't done in the history of the Weather Service," Santorum said. "We're just saying go back to the old policy."

He has a point. With the exception of beady-eyed bureaucrats and mountains of regulatory paperwork, the private sector routinely produces products superior to those of the government.

(Ask yourself: If you need a package delivered overnight, would you choose the U.S. Postal Service or UPS?)


Still, I've read Santorum's weather bill three times and it's vaguely worded as to allow for maximum spin - not just from Santorum, but from AccuWeather Executive Vice President Barry Myers, whose company is based in State College.

Myers on Wednesday sent me a three-page talking-points memo on Santorum's bill and said 786 provides "unfettered public access" to government weather data.

Unfettered, but packaged and resold through AccuWeather and companies like it?

"The private sector does a better job," Myers told me.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks campaign contributions, three contributors with the last name "Myers" whose occupations are listed as "Accu Weather" in State College have given $6,000 to Santorum since 1999.

Santorum said the money did not persuade him to introduce the weather control bill.

"Six thousand dollars? Oh, come on, guys. I've got a $25 million campaign this year. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do," he said.

It's about preserving jobs, he said. AccuWeather is the largest (325 employees) of 14 commercial weather forecasting companies in Pennsylvania.

Barry Myers said his and other cash donations to Santorum have nothing to do with protecting AccuWeather's franchise.

"Sen. Santorum has been interested in this for some time," he said. "I agree with a number of things he's done. He's been a strong advocate for Pennsylvania."

I'll take Myers at his word.

But the golden rule in journalism, as in life, is "follow the money."

Because when it comes to cash and politics, you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.