Young Ham Aids Effort to Save Drowning Classmate
NEWINGTON, CT, May 3, 2004--Jordan Webb, KI4AVG, had a feeling he should take his handheld 2 meter transceiver along on the field trip.
Webb, 13, was on a trip April 30 with his eighth-grade class to remote Abrams Falls in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee when, while swimming, Vine Middle Magnet School classmate Christopher Drinkard was pulled under the water of Cades Cove by strong currents from the falls. Webb and another classmate, Zach Hubbs, jumped into the water to help Drinkard when Webb remembered he had his radio in his backpack, according to reports from several Knoxville television stations.
Tennessee Assistant Section Manager David Bower, K4PZT, said, "This part of the Smoky Mountains is in an area where cell telephones typically do not work. Ham radio was the means used to request help when this emergency first happened."
Webb alerted a teacher that he had his radio and if he could get to high enough ground, he might be able to get a signal out. Webb scrambled up a hill and was able to make contact with Jim Bond, K6SPY, of Knoxville, said Joe Campbell, KG4UJC. Bond called emergency services and alerted authorities to the situation. As a result, EMS personnel were able to respond relatively quickly to the desolate area when it would have taken much longer if someone had to hike out of the area to reach authorities. Unfortunately, despite rescue workers' quick response, Drinkard did not survive.
A ham for about one year, Webb is a member of Anderson County ARES, the Radio Amateur Club of Knoxville and several other Amateur Radio organizations around the Knoxville area, said Anderson County ARES Emergency Coordinator Jeff Yawn, KF4UVT. "He has spent Kid's Day in my shack and is a fine, upstanding young man," Yawn said. "I know he did all he could to help his friend."
Page last modified: 03:00 PM, 03 May 2004 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2004, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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