[ARRL-OK] QRT - Response to Camp Gruber is Done!

[Mark D. Conklin N7XYO]

The ECOM Response to the emergency at Camp Gruber is QRT.

At 1500L 9/10/05 Amateur Radio concluded our operations at Camp Gruber.
Amateurs responded and volunteered hundreds of hours of time, to help fill
this vital communication need. We were the communications backbone between
responding agencies, we also passed TONS of traffic, ranging from, water &
food request, supplies, bedding, and in fact Amateur Radio was the 911
system on Camp Gruber for many days.

More phone systems have been added to the camp and Amateur Radio assisted
in finding ways for OHP, EMS and Base Security to communicate together.
The communication emergency is over on the Camp.

At the 1800L briefing today when OEM announced that Amateur Radio was QRT,
many thanks were passed on by all the served agencies. OEM, OHP, Red
Cross, National Guard and more. All were very impressed with the
professionalism and the can do sprit exhibited by Oklahoma Amateurs.

I personally want to thank each and every person (amateur and non-amateur
alike) that responded to this communication emergency. I can not express
enough how privileged I was to help organize and plan this Amateur Radio
response to a communication emergency. I am thankful to each and every
person that worked long hours to make this a successful operation.

>From the initial request from Red Cross for radio amateurs to send
emergency traffic info the area devastated by Hurricane Katrina. To when
victims from the disaster were evacuated to Camp Gruber, 2500 walking
wounded arrived. Oklahoma Amateurs responded. As of this afternoon, less
and 1000 are still there and soon will be heading to new homes. You may
not have reached out and fed, clothed, provided medical attention, or even
given a hug to one of these hurricane victims, but because Amateur Radio
was the communicating, you allowed the responders to help.

Thank you for your time and all your help!!

73 Mark Conklin N7XYO