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 Previous: The K7RA Solar Update |  Next: GAREC-07 |
Heavy rains over the past week began taking their toll on Northwest Ohio communities, as near record flood levels peaked on Wednesday. Ohio Amateur Radio Emergency Service District 1 was especially hard-hit in the Hancock and Seneca County areas, and a command post at the Seneca County Emergency Operations Center was activated.
Hancock County
The city of Findlay experienced catastrophic flooding; according to Karl Erbland, K8ARL, District Emergency Coordinator for ARRL Ohio Section - District 1, this is the worst flooding in the area since 1913. Hancock County ARES Emergency Coordinator Bill Davis, N8PTJ, activated Hancock Emergency Radio Services ARES to provide support to numerous agencies, including the Hancock County Emergency Management Agency, area fire departments, American Red Cross, the Sheriff and health district departments. Two shelters were set up, with the largest taking around 250 displaced persons.
The flooding affected every area of the city. The Blanchard River's almost-100-year-old record of 18.5 feet was nearly broken by a crest reading of 18.46 feet on Wednesday afternoon.
The Hancock County hams even had to be resourceful for their own services. A few days before the major flooding began, lightning struck the Findlay Radio Club repeater site during another severe storm. Radio communication during the flood was conducted on a simplex frequency, with additional support through their 440 MHz repeater.
Reports of cell phone problems and some problems with the state's 800 MHz digital system set the stage for Amateur Radio networks help to relieve some of these failures. At an information meeting held on Thursday, EMA Director Garry Valentine, N8GIL, noted that agencies should learn to count on the Amateur Radio operators in emergencies to provide communication support, and that Amateur Radio has many capabilities for communicating. "Our amateurs are always there to assist," Davis said. "We can count on them in times like these."
Communications activities included the following:
• Relayed from Emergency Operations Center to fire departments
• Facilitated delivery of food and water to Jenera, Ohio residents
• Assisted in the rescue of two elderly ladies and two people in wheelchairs
• Kept County Sheriff aware of road closures
• Tracked rescue operations for the Red Cross
• Tracked displaced persons being transported to Red Cross shelter
• On standby for Water Command Center and City Command Operations
• Relayed Health and Welfare traffic
• Provided telephone service to some without home phone service
• Relayed between Seneca County and Hancock County EMA directors
• Relayed between District Emergency Coordinator and Hancock County Emergency Coordinator
Seneca County
Amateurs in Seneca County were put on standby Tuesday, August 21 when word came that the Ruffing Family Care Center (south of Tiffin, Ohio) might be in danger from the rising Sandusky River, which runs near the center's property. County Emergency Coordinator Mike Klaiss, KC8BUJ, and EMA Director Dan Stahl, KC8PBU, held an on-the-air meeting with ARES officers and the McCutchenville, Ohio fire chief to review the reports and predictions from the National Weather Service in Cleveland. ARES officers remained ready through the evening and Wednesday morning. Seneca County activated the Emergency Operations Center around 7 AM on Wednesday as the Sandusky River continued to rise and affect additional areas in the county.
Seneca County EMA Director Dan Stahl said: "Hams play a big part in the emergency operations plan and in the communications center at the EOC. We intend to use all the amateurs in Seneca County during disasters like these. They provide a trained and reliable pool of communicators capable of assisting us."
Thursday brought a little relief from the rising waters but then became the rising temperatures and humidity levels. Disaster assessment was a hot job as temperatures rose to 91 degrees and similar levels of humidity. "There is a lot more to do across the entire affected area," said Erbland. "Our communities are extremely blessed to have such dedicated Amateur Radio operators. Our emphasis on ARRL communications training and the different FEMA courses such as Incident Command System and National Incident Management System is paying off. We're standing by for any needed communications as our communities recover."
ARRL Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator Frank Piper, KI8GW, said, "I am extremely proud of how well the Amateur Radio operators in Hancock, Seneca and all other counties affected by the weather this past week in the Ohio Section. This is why we plan and test our communication skills and equipment on a regular basis." -- Information provided by Karl Erbland, K8ARL, District Emergency Coordinator for ARRL Ohio Section - District 1; Bob Copas, K8OIL, Hancock County Liaison/Net Control Operator, and Bill Davis, N8PTJ, Hancock County ARES Emergency Coordinator
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