[ARRL-OK] Amateur Radio and ARES Assist Flood Victims in Central Texas

[Mark D. Conklin N7XYO]

==> Amateur Radio and ARES Assist Flood Victims in Central Texas

In floods that have ravaged across central and north Texas for more than
11 days, Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) members were activated
to assist those in need. In those 11 days, 11 people were killed due to
the severe weather conditions. More than 10 inches of rain was predicted
to fall Thursday; the area only received three inches, but more rain was
expected Thursday and Friday, and flash flood warnings were in effect.

In Williamson County, north of Austin, a search has been under way for
two motorists apparently swept off a road. According to the Williamson
County Sherriff's office, a search was underway for a woman and her
boyfriend after their car was found abandoned; the car appeared to have
been swept off the road by flood waters. Almost a week of nonstop rain
-- including 18 inches near Marble Falls in Burnet County, about 40
miles northwest of Austin, on Wednesday morning -- left dozens of people
stranded on rooftops, cars and in trees.

According to Williamson County ARES member Tom Whiteside, N5TW, "The
regular communication infrastructure has been working well, but we are
participating mostly 'just in case.' We have had the Williamson County
EOC staffed since Wednesday morning, and then continuously since 1 AM
Thursday. In that time, we have provided communications at two shelters
-- one at the Georgetown Recreational Center and one at the Liberty Hill
Middle School. We are using both conventional voice and portable Winlink
at the EOC. The Winlink connection is quite handy for sensitive
messages, as well as for passing more complicated intelligence in and
out than could be done efficiently with voice." Williamson County ARES
was activated.

Jim Taylor, NQ5L, Emergency Coordinator for Williamson County,
concurred. "The Williamson County EOC was opened due to the severe rains
in Burnet County, with spill over into Williamson. Rain fall has slowed
with several roads closed and some water rescue efforts. So far, there
have been no reports of fatalities here, but people are still driving
into dangerous situations." Authorities also closed several impassable
roads in Williamson County. Some cars stalled in the high water, but the
occupants escaped.

Saying that helicopter reconnaissance would commence during daylight
hours, Taylor added that two major storm systems to the west are
expected to merge and create a situation with up to 10 inches of rain
expected.

A good deal of damage occurred in Marble Falls and Highland Lakes (Llano
County), according to the National Weather Service and Rick Chapman,
K5RIK, Emergency Coordinator for Highland Lakes. "There are extensive
rains in the area, with a measured rainfall of 1.5 feet over the past 24
hours. This has resulted in many flooding situations in the low areas.
Marble Falls and Kingsland were particularly hard hit. People have been
forced out of their homes by the high water, and low water crossings
were dangerous yesterday, with some still having high levels of water
today."

Chapman added that thus far, "Our served agencies have not requested
ARES/SKYWARN communications support, and we do not deploy without
specific requests. With the saturated soil conditions and expected
additional rainfall, our deployment status may change quickly."

The Texas National Guard dispatched troops and vehicles to Central
Texas, as well as other areas hit by storms from the Oklahoma border to
the Rio Grande Valley. About 150 troops and 50 vehicles were mobilized.
This has been the wettest year on record in Austin, where more than 30
inches of rain has fallen since January, and Dallas-Fort Worth, Waco and
Wichita Falls have near-records. The rainfall has more than compensated
for a drought that much of Texas had been experiencing since 2005, the
National Weather Service said.