[SFDXA] Hams Assist in 'The World's Longest Police Foot Pursuit'.

[Bill]

     From QRZ:
    http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?429928-10-000-police-officers-entrust-their-lives-to-Amateur-Radio

    Original story:
    http://nevadahamradio.com

         More than 10,000 law enforcement personnel from around the
    world have assembled on Death Valley Road, in the Mojave Desert
    outside of Baker, California to begin this weekend's 30th annual
    running of what is known as 'The World's Longest Police Foot Pursuit'.

         The Baker to Vegas Challenge Cup Relay Race, a gruelling, 120
    mile ordeal, has become the premier competitive event among the
    worlds law enforcement agencies.

         The race begins outside of Baker, California at the gateway to
    Death Valley. Death Valley holds the record as the hottest location
    on earth, with an officially recorded temperature of 134.0 F
    (57.6C). Ground temperatures in this area can exceed 200 F. This
    land truly belongs to the rattlesnakes and coyotes.
         The race winds through the Mojave Desert before crossing the
    Spring Mountains at Mountain Springs Pass (5,530 Ft Elv) and then
    descending into the glitter gulch, Las Vegas, Nevada, some 120 miles
    from the Start Line.

         Humans do not fare well in this extreme environment. Severe
    medical incidents, as well as deaths occur in this event. There is
    no telephone service or medical facilities in this desolate part of
    the world. The event must carry in all of their own emergency
    medical personnel and equipment. They must also build their own
    communications infrastructure.

         The communication system needs to cover an area of 8,100 square
    miles, roughly the same area as the states of Connecticut, Delaware,
    and Rhode Island combined. Entering the picture is Joy Matlack
    KD6FJV and her 650 amateur radio volunteers. Matlack, the long
    serving Communications Director oversees a multi-tiered
    infra-structure of ham radio, business band, aeronautical, and
    public safety communication systems.



         Amateur radio operators build and deploy the portable repeater
    systems that seamlessly cover to entire 8,100 sq miles. They also
    build and deploy the links used by the med-evac teams
         Baker to Vegas, known to those around it as the B2V is broken
    up into 20 race stages. It is at these stages that the teams change
    runners. Amateur radio operators serve as the staff for these stages.

         The hams provide the timing and scoring functions, operate the
    public address system, staff early warning and early, early warning
    positions, summon medical assistance, and relay all of the routine
    and emergency radio traffic for the event.

         Although the majority of the traffic handled deals with routine
    logistical and operational functions of the event, the primary
    mission of the amateur radio operators is the protection and safety
    of the runners and their support vehicle staffs.

         All of the roadways used during the event are still open to
    regular vehicle traffic. The first half of the race is on what is
    typically lightly traveled wilderness roads. But come race weekend
    these routes are covered with thousands of vehicles belonging to
    support staff, course volunteers, and family/friends of the runners.
         The race takes a dramatic turn once it reaches Pahrump. Nevada.
    Pahrump which was a tiny dot on the map when B2V began 30 years ago,
    has now grown to be a small city of 37,000. The once quiet little
    route NV 160 which links Pahrump to Las Vegas is now a heavily
    travelled thoroughfare. NV 160 is notorious for it's large number of
    traffic fatalities. which primarily occur as it winds into the Las
    Vegas valley at Blue Diamond.

         Once the race enters the Las Vegas Metro area (pop.1,951,269)
    the runners will spend a dozen miles on urban streets. Here they
    will share the pavement with thousands of motor vehicles. The
    average vehicle in Las Vegas travels in excess of 50 MPH!

         For these reasons, a team of highly trained, motorcycle
    mounted, amateur radio operators, known as "Motors" patrol the
    entire 120 miles of the race. Most of these hams are either active
    duty or retired peace officers who look for hazards, rules
    violations, and runners in need. Also as the road skirts Death
    Valley at the early stages of the race from the Start Line to
    Shoshone, California (pop. 31) the runners face the most severe
    conditions. A 2,000 ft rise in elevation, coupled with high
    temperatures and arid conditions cause this to be the location of
    most of the severe medical emergencies and deaths to runners.

         Even police officers do not always make the wisest choices.
    Follow vehicle personnel often fail to correctly observe the
    deteriorating condition of their runner. In a few instances, they
    have replaced a sagging runner and then simply left him along side
    of the road. In one such case, the abandoned runner was experiencing
    a complete shut-down of his vital organs. Found by another team, he
    hovered near death in ICU for weeks.

         Matlack now deploys a "Patrol Unit" team. This group consists
    of a coordinator and 6 specially trained amateur radio operators who
    patrol this section of highway observing the condition of each
    runner. They maintain continuous communications with the follow
    vehicles, medical evac, and race officials. They are empowered to
    take a runner off of the course, summon a medical response, and to
    enforce violations being committed by the runners support team. Both
    the Motor and Patrol Unit hams can issue a special green violation
    card affectionately called "Meanie Greenies" which can disqualify a
    team for infractions.

         Click image for larger version.  Name: b2vberlin.JPG Views:
    1586  Size: 76.4 KB  ID: 174496Baker to Vegas is sponsored by the
    Los Angeles Police Revolver and Athletic Club. In an attempt to keep
    the hugely popular event manageable, LAPRAC limits the number of
    entries to 270 teams.
         Despite this, participation by support crews family, and
    friends from around the world has caused the number of direct and
    indirect participants to swell to more than 10,000 people.
         Right: 2014 Berlin Team displays national pride

         Many of these teams also utilize their own independent crews of
    ham radio operators. These team specific hams provide effective
    logistical support for the officer-athletes on their team.

         With such a huge communications network, one that bridges
    several radio services, equipment failures are to be expected. When
    they do, a special technical team of amateur radio operators spring
    into action. This very mobile, highly qualified, crew of specialists
    quickly deploy and resolve any technical issues. They are also the
    people who set up and take down the system of temporary repeaters
    and links.

         One final team of amateur radio operators contribute to the
    overall enjoyment of this event and they are the APRS specialists.
    This group coordinates the real time position reporting activities
    of the various team follow vehicles. You can follow your favorite
    teams progress here: http://b2v.findu.com/

         In the three decades of this rugged, isolated event. More than
    a quarter of a million law enforcement personnel, their families,
    and their friends have felt safe in the knowledge that "In this
    chase, Amateur Radio is on the Case".

         John-N7UR
         Original story:
         http://nevadahamradio.com

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