Post by KB3FCK on Apr 5, 2005 18:30:09 GMT -5
Ham radio operators pitch in
By AMY BETH PREISS
Norwich Bulletin
MONTVILLE-- Since 7 a.m. Monday, Roddy McComber -- known over radio waves as KA1BSS -- had been moving name tags around on a dry eraser board at the Chesterfield Fire Department.
He knew within minutes that the mock chemical explosion had finally happened at Fort Trumbull and that the rest of the ham operator volunteers with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service stationed with emergency relief workers were safe.
He knew without the help of any cell or land phones or television or radio broadcasts. Since early Monday, ARES volunteers worked behind the scenes with the American Red Cross and the Connecticut State Office of Emergency Management on the mock chemical attack in New London.
"We are the back-up," said Hank Wolcott of Salem, district emergency manager with ARES. "All the wonderful infrastructure out there, like cell phones, work very well, but in a major emergency like this, they can become overloaded. If all else fails, we can put hams on hilltops all across the state and relay messages from ham to ham until those messages go to where they need to."
ARES is a national, voluntary organization of the Federal Communications Commission. Its licensed amateur radio operators are known as "hams." Many national relief organizations, including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and National Weather Service, have formal agreement with ARES and other amateur radio groups.
During Monday's mock attack, ham operators were assigned to several locations, including 10 Red Cross vehicles, Ocean Beach, the Coast Guard Academy and Camp Rell. They communicated with the marshaling center set up at the Chesterfield Fire Department through a net control operator working out of his East Lyme home, Wolcott said. The Office of Emergency Management divided the state into separate districts, according to Chuck Ayes of New Britain. New London and Windham Counties are considered Area 4.
About 150 volunteers from five of the state's district's are involved in TOPOFF 3, the mock attack, Ayers said.
In the world of ham radio, Ayers said, there are many ways to get a message through, including short wave, satellites, very high frequency and digital modes.
"That's where the experience and creativity of each ham radio operator figures the best way to get the message through," Ayers said.
By AMY BETH PREISS
Norwich Bulletin
MONTVILLE-- Since 7 a.m. Monday, Roddy McComber -- known over radio waves as KA1BSS -- had been moving name tags around on a dry eraser board at the Chesterfield Fire Department.
He knew within minutes that the mock chemical explosion had finally happened at Fort Trumbull and that the rest of the ham operator volunteers with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service stationed with emergency relief workers were safe.
He knew without the help of any cell or land phones or television or radio broadcasts. Since early Monday, ARES volunteers worked behind the scenes with the American Red Cross and the Connecticut State Office of Emergency Management on the mock chemical attack in New London.
"We are the back-up," said Hank Wolcott of Salem, district emergency manager with ARES. "All the wonderful infrastructure out there, like cell phones, work very well, but in a major emergency like this, they can become overloaded. If all else fails, we can put hams on hilltops all across the state and relay messages from ham to ham until those messages go to where they need to."
ARES is a national, voluntary organization of the Federal Communications Commission. Its licensed amateur radio operators are known as "hams." Many national relief organizations, including the American Red Cross, Salvation Army and National Weather Service, have formal agreement with ARES and other amateur radio groups.
During Monday's mock attack, ham operators were assigned to several locations, including 10 Red Cross vehicles, Ocean Beach, the Coast Guard Academy and Camp Rell. They communicated with the marshaling center set up at the Chesterfield Fire Department through a net control operator working out of his East Lyme home, Wolcott said. The Office of Emergency Management divided the state into separate districts, according to Chuck Ayes of New Britain. New London and Windham Counties are considered Area 4.
About 150 volunteers from five of the state's district's are involved in TOPOFF 3, the mock attack, Ayers said.
In the world of ham radio, Ayers said, there are many ways to get a message through, including short wave, satellites, very high frequency and digital modes.
"That's where the experience and creativity of each ham radio operator figures the best way to get the message through," Ayers said.