[MDC-EC] Help for Inova Hospital in VA on Columbus Day weekend

[Tom Azlin N4ZPT]

thanks Jim!

Very much appreciated. I will be letting the hams on the aid station 
list know about the outage as part of having to reschedule the Columbus 
Day testing. And offering them an alternative event.

I will also be talking or meeting with the Hospital folks mid week so I 
can send an update out to all that have volunteered as well as another 
request for help.

Thanks and 73, Tom n4zpt

On 9/26/2010 11:03 PM, Jim Cross wrote:
> To:       All ECs in MDC
>
> From:  Jim Cross WI3N, SM MDC
>
> For:     Distribution to your membership
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I've received a request from Tom Azlin, N4ZPT, the EC of Fairfax Co, VA.
> There is a planned phone outage at Inova Hospital Oct 10-11 from 2200 to
> about 0600  and they need amateur radio support from 2000 to 0600.  Below is
> the request from Tom.
>
> 1.  This will be interrupting a previously planned comms test for the Marine
> Corps Marathon on Columbus Day.  We still could use more help with the MCM,
> particularly from folks who have D-Star capable radios so I hope that you
> will send this to your membership as ARES members are most likely to have
> the interest to help.  They may sign up at www.ncacdc.com then will need to
> respond to an email generated from the MCM site to get fully on board.
>
> 2.  Tom's request is below.   Please have your membership respond directly
> to him if anyone is able to help or needs more information.  His email is
> n4zpt at cox.net
>
> --------  request for help  --------
> Subject: [FairfaxARES] Activation Heads Up
> Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:54:40 -0400
> From: Tom Azlin N4ZPT<n4zpt at cox.net>
>
> Hi.
>
> I met with the the Safety Manager at Inova Fairfax. They are
> requesting ham radio support for a planned telephone outage over the
> Columbus Day weekend. The planned outage will start at 2200 on October
> 10th and end no later than 0600 on October 11th. They request our
> support starting at 8PM to when they have their phone
> system back in place and our hams can be retrieved from the many areas in
> the hospital. (it is a bit confusing in the hospital) Primary support will
> be between
> critical patient care areas in the hospital  with hams also supporting
> communications with Inova Fair Oaks and the Fairfax public safety folks.
>
> We have supported Inova in the past for unexpected phone outages as well as
> for
> exercises conducted for the overnight shift. Is very good they call us so I
> hope that
> many of you are available to support this activation. They have asked for
> 55-60 hams
> however we do not yet have those numbers. Another dozen or so will get us
> close.
>
> Please let me know if you can support this activation by deploying to
> Inova Fairfax.
>
> Thanks and 73, tom n4zpt
>