[KYHAM] News Release

[NB4K]

Hams called upon again in KY Tornados

Newington, CT,  Nov. 16, 2006 --Just weeks after assisting in hurricane
relief efforts along the Gulf Coast and in Florida, Amateur Radio volunteers
this week responded to yet another series of weather emergencies. Kentucky
had 4 confirmed touchdowns in Marshall and Hopkins Counties and the towns of
Earlington, Madisonville, Benton and Sharps.  In Hopkins County alone there
were 26 injuries with more expected as Search and Rescue teams scour the
region to find survivors.  Twenty two more people injured and one confirmed
death were reported in Marshal County.

A tornado was tracked from Dawson Springs KY through Owensboro KY into SE
Indiana. According to the Deputy EMA Director for Hopkins County, Frank
Wright, information coming to the center is sketchy thus far. Amateur Radio
was the only reliable communications they had for several hours at critical
times during the events due to power outages and damage to the regular phone
systems.

While the storms damaged normal electric and phone services throughout the
region, the hams were able to quickly establish interlocking radio
communications networks.  The skills they use in their “hobby” are the same
skills which allow them to set up an emergency radio station with voice and
digital capabilities in minutes.



The hams’ District Emergency Coordinator, Nick Nailey, KG4URI, reported that
Amateur Radio Emergency Service and RACES teams were deployed throughout
Hopkins County and operated under a state of emergency. He estimates that at
the height of the event 20 to 30 Amateur Radio stations were involved in
providing critical emergency communications throughout the area.



In addition to being called upon to provide immediate ground observations to
the National Weather Service, hams also had the state EOC on the air to get
emergency information in and out of the affected areas. The amateur station
WX4NWS, located at the Louisville National Weather Service, was active
Tuesday afternoon and evening contacting the counties in southern Indiana
and Kentucky as they tried to keep up with the rapidly developing storms.
The hams report that at times, new tornado warnings came faster than people
could reset their alert receivers.

The Town of Benton, KY had severe damage to a mobile home park and reported
one death as a mobile home burned with one victim trapped inside.

###




Allen Pitts, W1AGP

Media and Public Relations Manager

ARRL

-the national association for Amateur Radio-

(860) 594-0328

apitts at arrl.org


John D. Meyers, NB4K
Kentucky Section Manager
Ky. District 7 Amateur Radio Emergency Team
Chairman KD7ARET
218 Cory Lane
Butler, Kentucky  41006
895-472-6690
859-512-9598