[ARRL-OK] Ham Radio Saving Lives and Ready for More

[Mark D. Conklin N7XYO]

Ham Radio Saving Lives and Ready for More

NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 31, 2005--Over 250 Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES) volunteers in Louisiana are engaged in the Hurricane Katrina
recovery effort and more are waiting in the wings to help as soon as they
can enter storm-ravaged zones. Louisiana ARES Section Emergency
Coordinator Gary Stratton, K5GLS, told ARRL that some 250 ham radio
operators have been working with the Red Cross and the state's Office of
Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness. State officials have not allowed
emergency or other units to enter many of the zones still flooded, and
there is still no communication with many coastal areas.  ARES volunteers
from outside the directly affected areas have been mustering to assist,
but, Stratton says, until units can enter the flooded disaster areas
"there's no place they can go yet. If everyone who has volunteered came,
we could fill the state.  But please hold on, it’s going to be a very long
time [recovering] for this.”  Meanwhile there are many reports of trapped
residents who are calling relatives long distance or just dialing randomly
on cell phones hoping for rescue.  Some of these calls are connecting and
being relayed into the 911 center.  There the hams are taking the messages
and relaying them to the emergency units closest to the trapped person.

A high volume of family related requests reportedly is slowing the passage
of critical tactical and emergency traffic. The Salvation Army Team
Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) hams are now on a special frequency to
accept and handle these inquiries on the air and via its Web site  
(http://www.qso.com/satern411/emailfrm.htm).  Hams also provide emergency
communications for The American Red Cross who have established a similar
'Get Info' hotline: 1-866 GET INFO (1-866-438-4636)

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Louisiana Section Manager Mickey Cox, K5MC, reported that some other
Louisiana ARES teams also are in a holding pattern, awaiting word from
relief agencies trying to assess what they need in terms of communication
support and where, before they can officially activate.  Cox also reported
that Richard Webb, NF5B, from New Orleans was on the air from the
Louisiana State University Hospital as of

Monday afternoon during the storm. Louisiana Assistant Section Manager
Mike King, W5PY, of Slidell, remains on the air since the storm helping
provide emergency communications from a hospital on the north shore of
Lake Pontchartrain.


"When all else fails, Amateur Radio works is more than a catchy tag line,"
says Mark Conklin, N7XYO. "It's a lifeline," he said late Monday evening,
after being involved in the rescue of 15 people from a rooftop.

Hams are also now able to send digital, written messages out of the area
which are delivered as email to other parts of the country.  Using a
Winlink system which blends the advantages of radio and internet, the hams
are passing messages out for their served agencies.  They do not have the
ability to receive email messages into the area at this time.

In Alabama, Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, reports Amateur Radio
SKYWARN nets were active Monday, reporting the severe weather conditions
to the National Weather Service (NWS). Sarratt himself handled a volunteer
shift at the Huntsville NWS office Monday evening. He told ARRL
Headquarters that ARES groups throughout the state--and especially in
central and southern Alabama--have been supporting communication for local
emergency management agencies and the Red Cross.

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Mississippi Section Manager Malcolm Keown, W5XX, in Vicksburg, was
reported on the air at different times. According to Assistant Section
Manager Edwin Franks,  AD5IF, Keown was using generator power, his regular
antennas are all down and his area has no electrical power or telephone
service.  Franks also reports that he has been getting requests for
information about friends and relatives from people calling him at home. 
W4WLF, Thomas Hammack, is the ham who has been providing emergency
communications for the Harrison County Emergency Operations Center.

ARRL Northern Florida Section Manager Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, reports his
section is putting together a team of Amateur Radio operators to assist in
neighboring Mississippi, once they get clearance to go there. The Florida
mutual assistance team will be coordinated through the Florida State
Emergency
Operations Center.

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) ended days of operations for Hurricane
Katrina on Tuesday. This network of ham radio stations works in
cooperation with the National Hurricane Center to gather ground-level
weather data during storms.  Forecasters use the reports to help fine-tune
their predictions of a storm's behavior.

What do Amateur Radio operators do during and after disasters?  Amateur
Radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks
locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as
non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the
disaster. Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after
disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages
and destruction of cellular, internet and telephone lines.

How do Amateur Radio operators help local officials?   Many radio amateurs
are active as communications volunteers with local public safety
organizations. In addition, in some disasters, radio frequencies are not
coordinated among relief officials and Amateur Radio operators step in to
coordinate communication when radio towers and other elements in the
normal communications infrastructure are damaged.

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What are the major Amateur Radio emergency organizations?

Amateur Radio operators have informal and formal groups to coordinate
communication during emergencies. At the local level, hams may participate
in local emergency organizations, or organize local "traffic nets".   At
the state level, hams are often involved with state emergency management
operations. In addition, hams operate at the national level through the
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) which is coordinated through the
American Radio Relay League and its field volunteers and through the Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) which is coordinated through the
Federal Emergency Management Agency.  In addition, in areas that are prone
to severe weather, many hams are involved in Skywarn, operating under the
National Weather Service.

Is Amateur Radio recognized as a resource by national relief organizations?
Many national organizations have formal agreements with the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service (ARES) and other Amateur Radio groups including:

• Department of Homeland Security - Citizen Corps
• Federal Emergency Management Agency
• National Communications System
• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• National Weather Service
• Association of Public Safety Communications Officials

What are some examples of emergencies involving Amateur Radio?

          o Four Hurricanes in Florida and the Gulf - September 2004
          o Hurricane Isabel - September 2003
          o Northeast blackout - August 2003
          o Shuttle Columbia recovery effort - February 2003
          o World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks - September
2001
          o Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico - May 2000
          o Hurricane Floyd - September 1999
          o Hurricane Georges - September 1998