Poll on Red Cross Background Checking

The results are in — and the Red Cross is out. At least to  95% of the 273 Amateur Radio operators who recently responded to a poll by James Weaver, K8JE, the ARRL Great Lakes Division Director. At issue is the American Red Cross’ requirement that hams be subjected to a background check including personal financial information and “manner of living” checks before they would be deemed suitable to volunteer their services to the Red Cross.

It is my opinion that the problem lies with the Red Cross apparently having too many paid staff members. It would seem that there are staffers who have too much free time between disasters who apparently felt that they needed to demonstrate to their employer their usefulness by creating new regulations. That sort of “make work” bureaucracy tends to create stupid rules, like this one.

It is certainly understandable that any organization would  want to filter out the services of fleeing felons, sex offenders, and the like.  But, financial information and “manner of living” checks ? To what good purpose, I ask?

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