Allen G. Pitts
Connecticut Section Emergency Coordinator
Amateur Radio Emergency Service / ARRL
______________________________________________________________

43 Mill Street
New Britain, CT  06051
w1agp@attbi.com

Re: Volunteerism in Your Community

Dear Employers:

Each year hundreds of thousands of Americans volunteer their time and energies for the improvement and safety of their communities.

Mechanics turn into firemen when the alarm sounds.  Hairdressers become EMT's.  Engineers turn into auxiliary policemen.

America has a long and proud history of these "Minutemen" who answer the call to service in times of emergency....and one of your employees is such a person.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service is a national, voluntary organization of FCC licensed Ham (shortwave) radio operators who provide emergency communications in an emergency.  Organized through the American Radio Relay League, this group has provided emergency communications services for everything from shipwrecks to the disaster of 9-11.  It is a specialized field requiring federal licensing and training.

This letter, together with a copy of your employee's FCC license, is my request to you to consider allowing your employee the freedom to respond when he is called for an emergency.  Many community-minded employers allow paid time off for such volunteers.  It does not happen often, but when an emergency occurs your employee is very important.  S/he is part of a team that is critically needed.

You can learn more about the ARRL and ARES at:

    http://www.arrl.org
    http://www.ctares.org

Thank you for your consideration.





Allen G. Pitts