[ARRL-OK] OKLAHOMA HAMS Respond to Flooding Disaster

[Mark D. Conklin N7XYO]

OKLAHOMA HAMS Respond to Flooding Disaster

Tulsa, Okla. – Because of record rainfall in June, many of the rivers and
streams in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas were already swollen or flooding. On
Monday, July 2, 2007, nearly 15 inches of rain fell in southern Kansas
causing wide-spread flooding and damage and sent torrents of floodwater
downstream into northeastern Oklahoma.

The Caney River, which flows through the city of Bartlesville, Okla. (60
miles north of Tulsa), overflowed its banks causing flood damage to homes
and businesses within the city, as well as wide-spread flooding in the
farm lands in other parts of Washington county to the north and south of
the city.

In Miami, Okla., 70 miles to the east of Bartlesville, the Neosho River
crested as it snaked in and around the community. Water up to 10-feet deep
filled homes and businesses and blocked roads and highways.

On Thursday, July 5, the American Red Cross requested Amateur Radio
Emergency Service to provide communications support for their damage
assessment teams in those flooded areas of Northeast Oklahoma. ARES
amateurs responded.

A Net Control Station was set up and one of six amateur radio operators
equipped with HTs and magnet mount antennas rode along with each Red Cross
Damage assessment team as they surveyed the flood damage in Northeastern
Oklahoma, beginning in Washington county, where some of the flood waters
have already receded. An ARES Rapid Response Team (RRT) from Tulsa, led by
Larry Holden KC5KLM (which supports the Tulsa Chapter of the American Red
Cross), began the operation was the primary group assisting with the
response. Operations to survey to damage began on Friday in Bartlesville
and continued Saturday in Miami.

The ARES team used the Bartlesville Amateur Radio Club’s repeater while in
Bartlesville and set up a temporary repeater in Miami to cover that
community to aid with communications between the teams in the field and
the Net Control Station. Tactical communication methodology made quick and
accurate work of all traffic on the net.  In Miami several of the homes
needed to be reassessed. Also when one area being inspected was found to
be heavily damaged and was taking more time to cover, a team that was done
from another area was able to be contacted via the amateur radio area net
and sent to the heavily damaged area to help finish the assessment there.
Jeff Lawson, American Red Cross team leader for the damage assessment
teams, said that this efficient use of time and resources was possible
because of the ARES team’s professional communication work.

Thank you to all that volunteered to help:

Pete Mann KF5RD
Lee Schlanger KE5CUB
Larry Holden KC5KLM
Ben Joplin WB5VST
Don Pratt K5OKB
Jim Danforth KE5OKT
Carlton Danforth KE5OOJ
Don Cole KE5EHU
Jessie Cole KE5EHT
Travis Vernier KE5MXI
Brian Gnad KB5TSI
Mark Conklin N7XYO
Tom White K5EHX
Fred Williams KD5NBR
Ken Duncan WB5Y
Coralee Duncan KE5LJF




Submitted by:

 Mark Conklin N7XYO
 Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator - Zone 5 EC
 Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Oklahoma
 918-232-8346