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 Previous: QRP Community: Starting at the Beginning Again (Part 1 of 2). |  Next: Amateur Radio through Philately |
 Flooding on Walnut Street in Peabody, Massachusetts. Eastern Massachusetts SEC Rob Macedo, KD1CY, says the recent flooding there is the worst in 70 years. [Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, Photo] |
NEWINGTON, CT, May 15, 2006--Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers in Eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire have activated in the aftermath of the worst flooding in the region in 70 years. Rob Macedo, KD1CY, ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator and SKYWARN coordinator, reports SKYWARN has been active for nearly three days, with volunteers taking only overnight breaks.
"We've been on continual damage assessment for flooding and reporting information to the National Weather Service forecast offices in Gray, Maine, and Taunton, Massachusetts," Macedo says. Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) volunteers have been active in Massachusetts with the state Emergency Operations Center (EOC), staffing Region I headquarters for the last several days.
"We've handled several hundred reports of flooding of rivers, streams and urban areas, damage caused by flooding and rainfall reports," Macedo told ARRL. "We have had more than 12 inches of rain in some locations with widespread 4 to 8-inch rainfall across much of New England."
Macedo says Amateur Radio volunteers are using VHF/UHF
repeaters as well as 6 meters, HF and the New England VoIP Integrated
Conference Reflector, IRLP Reflector 9123, EchoLink node *NEW-ENG* Node
#:9123.
Primary ham radio responders include Jay Carter, KA1RVR, New Hampshire ARES-SKYWARN Coordinator; Jim Blaine, WD4JZO, Hillsborough County (NH) ARES SKYWARN Coordinator; William Glidden, KB1LSQ; Tom Kinahan, N1CPE, Massachusetts State RACES Radio Officer; Terry Stader, KA8SCP, Region 1 RACES Radio Officer; Eric Horwitz, KA1NCF, North Shore ARES District Emergency Coordinator; Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, North Shore ARES Emergency Coordinator and Assistant SKYWARN Coordinator, and Jeff Arnold, K1EMS, North Shore SKYWARN Coordinator.
"I'd estimate more than 100 radio amateurs have been involved in the operation and spotting work across the region," Macedo told ARRL. "A half-dozen Amateur Radio volunteers have staffed the NWS office in Taunton over the past three days in shifts, and another half dozen hams have staffed the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency State EOC and Region I Headquarters over the same period, he said.
So far municipal or Red Cross shelter operations have not needed Amateur Radio support, Macedo said, but ARES is on standby to assist those operations in Eastern Massachusetts if needed.
Rain has overspread much of the Northeast during the past
several days, and more is in the forecast.
| Previous: QRP Community: Starting at the Beginning Again (Part 1 of 2). | Next: Amateur Radio through Philately |
