[ETSList] South Plainfield Labor Day Parade and Fireworks Volunteers needed

[Drew_Moore]

The Borough of South Plainfield has begun to re-establish it's RACES
organization under a newly formed OEM. Each year South Plainfield hosts a
LABOR DAY PARADE* through the center of town. This activity requires lots of
volunteer communicators and we have been asked to canvass the amateur radio
community for some volunteers. The need will be for passing parade
information along and from the parade route from/to the start and finish
areas. Volunteers will also be needed for safety and security communications
during the evening fireworks display held around SPRING LAKE PARK, in the
center of town (across the street from the SP rescue squad). Volunteers
should have 2 meter handheld radios and spare batteries (if possible). This
activity will be, more-or-less, our first RACES type activity.
One of the problems encountered in the past is that handheld radio
communications have proven partially problemsome trying to talk directly
between handhelds along the very long parade route.  I 'volunteered' to
request permission from THE RARITAN VALLEY RADIO CLUB to utilize our 2 meter
repeater for this 'community activity'. The coverage in and around South
Plainfield is absolutely solid from W2QW's 2 meter repeater and it would be
in keeping with the club's goals to grant use of the repeater for this
purpose.
It is obvious, though, that during the parade and later in the evening
during the fireworks we would need exclusive use to reduce confusion among
the volunteers. The parade use would most likely begin early morning and end
about midday. Soon after the parade is ended the repeater would be released
for general use and then needed later in the evening when citizens begin to
assemble in Spring Lake Park for the fireworks. (I believe it all ends about
9:30 p.m. and the crowd disperses.)

I will volunteer to coordinate this activity and become the 'liaison' to the
club and SP OEM/RACES.

* I believe a short footrace is held just prior to the parade where
volunteer communicators will also participate.

Thanks,
Marvin Bronstein, K2VHW

k2vhw at arrl.net

P.S. Volunteers can submit to Paul Lorance, WA9WEV at the following e-mail
address: wa9wev at bellatlantic.net
        or contact Larry Makowski, W2LJ at the following e-mail address:
makos327 at att.net
        or Marvin Bronstein, K2VHW (member RVRC)
Volunteers would not be required to stay the entire day for both the parade
and fireworks unless they wish to do so and volunteers should express their
availability for either or both.

Note,
If anyone has never been to South Plainfield's parade, it is a good one with
representation from many surrounding towns participating with fire, rescue,
EMS/EMT equipment and personnel. Last year we had a couple of NYFD units
also in the parade. Floats and classic cars......a very enjoyable event for
the family.