Shadowing Non-Amateur Radio Personnel

One function that amateur radio operators may perform during emergencies is to accompany or shadow senior management personnel of the organizations being served, such as a Mayor or a Pastor, and provide communications to those persons. If shadows are needed, the NCS will assign hams to be shadows. Keep in mind that shadows may be excluded from closed-door meetings, but the hams should be available outside the closed doors and should accompany the senior management personnel as they move about the area being covered by emergency communications. The shadows must be careful to not interfere with the movement of the managers or with the ability of the managers to conduct business. The shadows should remain in the background but be available if the managers want radio communications with other personnel.

The senior management personnel may not be familiar with shadowing, and the hams assigned to be shadows may have to explain shadowing to the the managers and get their permission to accompany them. If the managers do not accept the services of shadows, the hams should report that to the NCS and await new assignments.

In small organizations, the NCS may decide to not have hams shadow senior managers. Instead, the hams may operate their equipment from a location that is convenient for senior managers to reach and to request radio communications.