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 Previous: FCC Declares Voluntary Communications Emergency |  Next: Ham Radio Supporting Storm Response |
The 1500 UTC position of Hurricane Floyd. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 14, 1999--Hams in Florida and Georgia are staffing Red Cross shelters and emergency nets as Hurricane Floyd continues to threaten the southeastern US coastline. Parts of the Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina coastlines are under mandatory evacuation orders as the huge storm works its way westward.
The FCC has asked hams not involved in the storm emergency to avoid designated frequencies on HF that are being used for emergency nets. The voluntary communications emergency includes 7242 and 3950 kHz in Florida; 3993.5 and 3915 kHz in South Carolina, and 7275 kHz and 3975 kHz in Georgia.
In Northern Florida, SEC Nils Millergren, WA4NDA, reports shelters were open and beginning to fill in Orange, Lake, Seminole, and Flagler counties. He reports a mandatory evacuation of coastal, islands and low-lying areas is in effect. He said the Duval County EOC was operating on 146.76 from Jacksonville City Hall on emergency power.
HF emergency nets in Florida will operate on 7242 and 3950 kHz.
In Georgia, Chatham County DEC Mike Boatright, KO4WX, reports his county is under a mandatory evacuation order and shelters have been opened by the Red Cross. He urged amateurs to monitor the MATPARC 145.410 repeater and help in any way possible with evacuees who might be passing through Georgia counties needing assistance with directions or locating shelter.
"The first wave of folks are reaching Atlanta now," he said. He also suggested monitoring 146.52 MHz FM simplex and even CB channel 9.
Georgia SEC Tom Rogers, KR4OL, said interstate highways and hotels inland from the evacuated areas are "packed," and the Red Cross has many shelters open. "The Georgia National Guard has been called into action, and everybody is doing everything they can in anticipation of this terrible storm," he said.
Rogers said that hams across Georgia are preparing to provide assistance. "We are getting everything in place and ready to respond as Floyd comes through," he said. Formal emergency net operations will begin this evening in Georgia on 3975 kHz at 2200 UTC.
The Hurricane Watch Net continues on 14.325 MHz. Stations in the Caribbean have been passing weather-related information to the National Hurricane Center in Miami via W4EHW. The Net will operate into the evening hours.
In South Carolina, Section Manager Les Shattuck, K4NK, has issued a first alert on Hurricane Floyd. SEC Gerald Hensley, K8AFP, is directing the effort. Starting tomorrow, the nets will prepare on 3.993.5 and 3.915 MHz. Shattuck says VHF nets are in the planning stage.
| Previous: FCC Declares Voluntary Communications Emergency | Next: Ham Radio Supporting Storm Response |
