[HIham] Forwarding: Notes on Hurricane Katrina

[Kevin C. Bogan]

Thanks go to all of you who have asked about Hawai'i's response to the 
devastation in the southern part of the continental US.  There are many 
ways to help.  You can donate money to your favorite charity such as the 
American Red Cross or the Salvation Army. You can volunteer in these 
organizations also.  This crisis will not be resolved over night. 
Volunteers will become exhausted and need replacement.  Organizations 
will draw from all over the US.  As far as emergency communicators, 
Hawai'i Amateur Radio operators may be called upon; however, we would be 
expensive to ship to the affected area.  Please check with your local 
ARES EC, DEC, or SEC.  If you do volunteer to go, remember that it is 
not a vacation and you will be under extreme conditions.
The organizations do have requirements.  Amateur Radio operators will be 
required to be registered with ARES, have emergency communications 
certification such as the ARRL EC001 course and Red Cross cards showing 
they have completed the Intro to Disaster Services and the Intro to 
Shelter Operations, have their own equipment, and possibly more 
depending on the area and the organization.  Please read the letter 
forwarded to me from Southern Florida Section Manager Sherri, W4STB, in 
the affected area and observations from another ham there.

Sherri writes:
--------------------

Fellow Amateurs,

We are all concerned about the people in the path of Katrina's
destruction. Many of us have friends or family in the area, others have
friends and co-workers with friends or family in the area.  At this time
information into and out of the affected areas is sporadic.  Our fellow
hams are overloaded with requests for food, water and rescue.  They
cannot handle Health and Welfare at this time.  Nor can I.

If you need to locate someone visit: http://www.satern.org/  and
complete the health and welfare information request.  This group is also
on the air at 14.265.  SATERN has the ability to hold the messages and
to handle delivery when information can get to the affected area.  Don't
forget to provide the last known address of the person you are looking
for as well as the area they may have evacuated to.

Here's how YOU can help now.  Keep frequencies with any kind of relief
traffic clear - that means listen only, don't be a policeman.  Offer to
handle the internet input or the HF traffic to SATERN from your area for
those without internet access or HF privileges.  Try a text message via
cell phone.  Have patience.

If you want to go to the area to assist with communications or other
activities, contact the Red Cross or other relief agencies.  They have
required training courses before you can be deployed so do not be
surprised if you are told no.  Donate money.  Contact Jeff Beals, our
SEC WA4AW at juno.com - he is handling any coordination with Tallahassee
for mutual ARES(r) aid from our area.  DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL TO THE
AREA ON YOUR OWN.

-----------------------

John Weatherly, AB4ET had the following comments that I cannot say any
better:
-- The situation in the affected area is still very chaotic and the
authorities are still trying to get organized (its little more than 48
hrs since the hurricane landed!). They are only just getting momentum
going for the search and rescue phase.
  -- They are currently having major problems with housing, feeding and
sanitary conditions for the victims and would have major problems with a
large influx of unexpected helpers without assignments.
   -- Its 600-800 miles from here to the affected area! For several
reasons, our best and most effective operating area is a radius of about
200 miles from here. There are many, many ARES groups in states within
200 miles of the affected area who will be responding, if and when
needed.
-- Just getting a team together and diving in, uninvited, with no plan
for the destination area at that distance is foolhardy. If it looks like
assistance from this distance is warranted we should expect information
and requests to come through the ARRL/ARES chain of command and/or
through the state/county emergency management system.