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 Previous: From Spy to Private Eye, This Elmer Teaches Hams the Art of CW |  Next: ARRL Gets Federal Grant to Tell Amateur Radio's Story to Communities |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 7, 2004--Ham radio volunteers assisting in the Hurricane Frances response and recovery effort now need relief operators. Some have been on duty for several days without much rest. Northern Florida Section Manager Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, (850-626-0620) is coordinating Amateur Radio volunteer resources from out-of-state and is assisting section leaders in all three ARRL Florida Sections in getting Amateur Radio volunteers where they're needed most.
"County emergency managers are contacting the State of Florida Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee," Hubbard said. "The Northern Florida Section Leadership is monitoring the tracker system, which indicates where the needs are." Section Emergency Coordinator Nils Millergren, WA4NDA, (850-639-5302) and Section Traffic Manager Dale Sewell, N4SGQ, (580-514-1211) are assisting in this effort. The Northern Florida Section leadership in turn communicates these needs to the West Central Florida or Southern Florida Section Leaders, depending upon where the need is.
Prospective Amateur Radio volunteers in the Southern Florida Section may contact SEC Jim Goldsberry, KD4GR. Those in the West Central Florida Section may contact SEC John Townsley, AE4GB, (727-808-0493) or Section Manager Dave Armbrust, AE4MR, (941-685-2081).
All radio amateurs seeking to volunteer must get an official assignment tracking number before deploying to the affected area.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management only recently put a system in place in order to keep track of requests for volunteer communication resources and how they're deployed. One advantage is that Amateur Radio volunteers who work through the tracking system are covered by Florida liability insurance, and those deployed on "official assignments" are eligible for reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses, Hubbard indicated.
Radio amateurs from outside Florida who want to help should first contact their ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC). The out-of-state SEC then will contact Hubbard or Northern Florida Section leadership to indicate what resources are available.
Hubbard says that over the last couple of days, a dozen radio amateurs from Georgia, two from Tennessee, and one from North Carolina have been assigned to volunteer duties in Lake and Volusia counties in Central Florida. Amateur Radio volunteers are providing communication support for county and local emergency operation centers (EOCs) and for American Red Cross-sponsored shelters.
ARES members throughout Northern Florida, Southern Florida and West Central Florida have been supporting communication for EOCs and shelters in their sections.
The Southern Florida ARES Net is maintaining special sessions following the NTS nets on 3940 and 7242 kHz. Approximate local times are 6:15 AM, 12:15 PM, 6:10 PM and 10:40 PM Eastern Time. The Northern Florida Phone Net meets daily on 3950 KHz at 2330 UTC.
Frances, a Category 2 storm when it made landfall Saturday in the vicinity of Stuart Saturday, diminished a tropical storm before traversing the peninsula, exiting into the Gulf of Mexico and coming ashore near St Marks in the Florida panhandle packing 65 MPH winds. The storm, now a tropical depression, continues to dump rain on part of the US Southeast.
The Salvation Army also has mounted a huge response and relief effort in Florida and has been making use of Amateur Radio as well. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN)--active for the past three days on 14.265 MHz--has been handling emergency and health-and-welfare traffic. SATERN also accepts H&W inquiries via its Web site.
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) secured operations Monday for Frances, but reactivated on 14.325 MHz to keep an eye on Hurricane Ivan, now a Category 3 storm and, as of 2100 UTC, over Grenada and heading for the eastern Caribbean packing 120 MPH winds. The HWN has been working with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center to relay measured ground-level weather data and damage reports from Amateur Radio volunteers in the storm's track. The Hurricane Watch Net Web site offers access to the latest weather forecasts as well as storm graphics.
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