As requests are received asking for Amateurs to travel to the areas affected by Hurricane Irma, ARRL officials are reminded that to be covered under the Volunteer Protection Act or the MoU between ARRL and the American Red Cross, requests for volunteers must be submitted through established ARRL/ARES channels.

Volunteers wishing to offer their services in disaster relief need to go through the proper established channels. Any self-deployment or requests made outside of the established channels are not covered under ARRL's agreements and may not be subject to the provisions of the Volunteer Protection Act. — Thanks to Dan Henderson, N1ND, ARRL Regulatory Information Manager; Assistant Secretary, the American Radio Relay League, Inc