The following information was received from Harry Bloomburg, W3YJ, SEC for WPA ARES:

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To:  All Western PA ARES Emergency Coordinators

The US Air Force Reserve will be holding a major airshow the weekend of May 13-14 at their base in Moon Twp. near Pittsburgh.  They have told us they will need help from ARES with communications.  Requirements so far are a bit sketchy, but I’m being told they need around 20 hams per day to help with shadowing officials.  I will be attending a series of meetings with the show organizers and will get more details.

Please tell your members about this event and start asking for volunteers.

I know it’s the culture in the amateur radio community to wait until the last minute to volunteer for a public service event.  This will not work this time as volunteers will need to be vetted by the Air Force for security.   Any ham who waits until the last minute will be turned away, even if it means we’ll be short-handed.

I don’t need lists of volunteers yet, but please start recruiting operators now.

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We will publish more information as it becomes available.