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At the time I became a life member
International was in somewhat of a cash flow crunch and along with a
number of other Dallas County REACT members we decided to become life
members. Do not know as of now if the numbers are still current but up
to the last year or so Dallas county had more life members than any
other team in the organization.
My initial use of citizens band radio started
thru employment first call 10W3180 in mid 1959. Then KQV5175 several
folks in the NE & SW sections or Dallas monitored and used CB radio
none affiliated with any organization. When going to a company school in
1967 in Phoenix became a member of Sun Valley REACT and brought the idea
home to Dallas just in time to be involved in a Hurricane relief food
and clothing collection for south Texas.
After that thru the United states Citizen Radio
Council of which REACT was a participating advisor along with ALERT we
were able to get channel 9 set aside for emergency and road assistance
radio traffic only. During the rapid expansion of CB during the 70's was
able to participate in the reprinting of Part 95 only CB rules when the
government print office "was unable to" this raised a
considerable amount of money and along with the Texas Stadium Food booth
were able to due quite a bit of special equipping of a Central Monitor
located in what was then one of the taller 40 story buildings in Dallas.
During this time Dallas county REACT if not the largest was certainly
one of the bigger Teams in the United States at well over 500 members
and we were able to send representatives to the Personal Users Radio
Commission PURAC meetings with the FCC and revising and bettering the
service. It was not too long after that, the FCC ceased to issue
licenses for Class D citizens radio.
As most are probably aware at the present time
DCR supports two GMRS radio repeaters. and one 440or70cm Amateur
Repeater. and is involved in community service through walks thons
and bike tour and races throughout North Texas. DCR was the first REACT
Amateur radio group affiliated with ARRL as a special service club. One
or more of our members are officers in the ARRL national org. The
slogan, Community Service through Communications, actually was
originally a Dallas county product picked up by International with our
blessings so to speak.
Although it is corny my real reason for CB
Radio REACT and Amateur radio believe it or not, is to further interests
I acquired a long long time ago "Do a good turn daily and help
other people at all times", so really I am just using the radio as
a tool to satisfy myself.
Robert D. "Bob" Hitch, LM181
Dallas County REACT C622
I
became a Life Member because the ideals of REACT are similar to mine of
helping others, and it is done through a form that I like (radio). It
was, and is, an investment and commitment of me to REACT ideals and
goals. "Helping others through communications."
That I belong to a group of individuals who
care about their respective, and collective, communities they support.
We (I) believe that we can, and should, help others when we can by the
means we have available. This does not require total attention to
monitoring, but should suggest that we monitor when we can to provide
the best "observation" of the community we care about.
Included should be support for community events, which promotes correct
communications support in the occurrence of a local disaster.
These events can demonstrate organization and
follow through to the local public services, and help provide a link to
these public services. A lot, if not most, Teams have a cooperative
understanding with their respective agencies. Through REACT
International's "federal level" Memorandum of Understandings,
local Teams have the ability to enter into support agreements with local
response organizations such as, but not limited to, Red Cross, and
Volunteer Organizations Active in Disasters.
It means that I, and others, have a willingness
to prepare ourselves to be responsive to the community through education
of and by the many organizations we support. We learn procedures for Red
Cross, the Salvation Army, local Police and Fire, and many others as
need dictates. Learning these procedures help us to interact our support
and provide needed communications between support groups. This last item
seems to be one of our better supports. Most organizations only provide
for "in house" communications with no thought of how they are
going to maintain contact once into the field. With our talents and
resources, many of us can provide these needed links.
Lee Baca, Life Membership
#394
Poway Valley REACT, Team #2642
I
became a Life Member in 1986 at the Calgary RI Convention because I
wanted to make the statement that I was committed to REACT, it's goals,
ideals and purposes. The reasons were just as those stated on the
Life Membership application. I took a Life Membership to show
everyone that I am committed to REACT and also to remind me that, when
things look tough, I have committed myself to helping REACT and fellow
members.
I believe
that REACT is more than an organization with committees, directors, and
members that use radios to work disasters and events. REACT is a large
family with small families all over the world. If Teams don't act as
families (occasional disagreements but a LOT OF HARMONY and care for
each other) then how can a Team act as a Team at disasters and events.
Dick Cooper, Life
Membership #329
Hamilton-Mercer REACT, Team #4651
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