[CTSARA] Thank You Bloomin Metric Hams

[Jon Perelstein]

Members of the Stamford Amateur Radio Association (SARA) and the Greater
Norwalk Amateur Radio Club (GNARC) - along with members of the Fairfield
Amateur Radio Association (FARA) and ham members of various Region One CERT
teams - combined forces to provide communications for the 40th Annual
Bloomin Metric charity bike ride in Fairfield County.  We were pleased to
have four newly licensed hams (licensed within the last three months) as
part of the team this year.

The ride has 2500 riders with a choice of three routes (40km, 75km, and a
challenging 100km).  Our hams run an integrated communications network
covering the call center, a fleet of support vehicles, rest stops, repair
services provided by five different local bike shops, and event
management.  We interface with six different police departments and seven
different EMS organizations along the route.  Ham radio staffs the
communications center, provides radio operators for the support vehicles
(and in some cases also provides drivers), and has full dispatch control
over the support vehicles and logistics support for the rest stops.  During
today's ride, we directed responses to 38 different incidents in which
riders required support ranging from bicycle failures to injuries sustained
in accidents (fortunately, no accidents required EMS).  As part of the
effort, we operate a temporary cross-band repeater up in the hills of
Redding.

We would like to thank the following hams who participated

Bill WG1HM
Greg KA1NGF
Doug KB1UKC
Chris KB1QXR
Ilya KC1HFL
John KC1HIZ
Marc KB1YYN
Marilyn KB1YYO
Marty KA1WBN
Mike N1PLH
Robert K3PUG
Sam NV1P
Jon AI1V
Steve KB1YLQ
Terry WA1JBO
Tina KB1UOB
Toy K1WYQ
Jeff N1JFF
Jesse ND1L

We would also like to thank those hams who volunteered but could not be
accommodated for this event
Donna KB1TGW
Stan WA2NRV (portable 1)
Joe KC1AUH
Paul W1PPL
Terry W1TSM
Fred K1FC

We would also like to thank GNARC for the use of its repeaters.

Jon, AI1V          Sam, NV1P