[LeArc] ARLX002 Amateurs Respond to Pennsylvania's Big Chill

[Tony Coniglio]

> SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX002
> ARLX002 Amateurs Respond to Pennsylvania's Big Chill
> 
> ZCZC AX02
> QST de W1AW  
> Special Bulletin 2  ARLX002
> >From ARRL Headquarters  
> Newington CT  March 5, 2003
> To all radio amateurs 
> 
> SB SPCL ARL ARLX002
> ARLX002 Amateurs Respond to Pennsylvania's Big Chill
> 
> Amateur Radio Emergency Service and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
> Service (ARES/RACES) team members in southern York County,
> Pennsylvania, activated March 3 after a natural gas shutdown forced
> residents to evacuate homes. Two dozen amateurs took shifts to
> assist the American Red Cross, staffed the local emergency
> operations center and provided other necessary communication.
> 
> York County ARRL Emergency Coordinator Kerry Smeltzer, KA3KAR,
> expected the activation to continue through March 5 as the utility
> company works to correct the problem, an apparent regulator failure.
> Thousands were affected, with temperatures in the teens and 20s.
> 
> The natural gas problem, which occurred around 11 AM March 3, cut
> off the main supply serving the communities of Red Lion and
> Dallastown. Estimates vary as to the number of residents directly
> impacted by the gas failure, but they run anywhere from 5000 to
> 10,000.
>  
> In addition to the ARES/RACES teams activated in York County,
> Smeltzer said, ARES teams in surrounding counties and from nearby
> Maryland are on standby in case they are needed. "I'm going back for
> my third cycle," he said. "We hope that this thing will be wrapping
> up March 5." Typical shifts were eight hours. ARES used the W3HZU
> and WB3ERZ VHF repeaters.
> NNNN
> /EX
>