They're getting me oriented to the operation here. I'm based at the FEMA EOC for now. The group in San Juan was not shy about bringing up operational and equipment issues, nothing major but definitely some things we'll need to address at a later time. Operational issues, for the most part, will need to go to Red Cross and equipment issues are ours to handle. Cell phone service is spotty at best, internet is OK at the convention center.
Mike Corey
ARRL ARC DAILY SITREP 10/06/2017
Today we had 16 ham stations up and operational on the island; servicing 14 hospitals and towns.
The American Red Cross used 5 of our radio operators: N3CKF, KI7CTF, K1MJM, W5RKB and KC4FOX to provide communications on the Red Cross reunification teams.
Our amateur radio operators successfully passed a large undetermined quantity of traffic of health and welfare.
We placed an amateur radio operator at Centro Medico to provide communications between them and other hospitals throughout the island. This happened just in time because the Menonita Hospital in Caguas had both generators fail. So the ER doctor at the Centro Medico along with our ham radio operator at Centro Medico Juan Trujillo N0PSF coordinated with Dennis Perez WP4Q at the Menonita Hospital in Caguas the transfer of 4 critical patients to the Menonita Cayey Hospital.
* Andy Anderson KE0AYJ relayed that there is now security issues at the Guajataca Dam. We were able to secure 24/7 security for our operator and the workers from the MPs. The power company workers, Andy’s translators and the chief engineer at the dam have come down with Dysentery. The dam provides the water via a channel to 350,000 people in the Quebradilla and Isabela area. Since the channel has been destroyed, and the people have no access to fresh water, they are getting it from the dam. Ke0AYJ also set up the 2nd station on VHF.
Vice President Mike Pence visited us at the PR EOC (Convention Center) this evening. He gave a very motivating speech and our very own Gary Sessums KC5QCN shook his hand.
We relayed 2 requests from hospitals for fuel and water today.
We relayed an internal message from the Puerto Rican Fire department in Juncos to the Lieutenant of the Fire Department here at the EOC.
Mike Corey KI1U from the ARRL arrived today. We gave him the grand tour. He is alive and well…for now.
Oscar Resto KP4RF, Valerie Hotzfeld NV9L, Gary Sessums KC5QCN
73,Mike Corey, KI1U
Emergency Preparedness Manager