FYI Harold ------------------------------------------------------ From: Pitts, Allen W1AGP Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 1:25 PM To: pr; HQ Staff Subject: Wednesday hams in the hurricane update This is for your info, for use with contacting your local TV and media stations, For more information: Allen Pitts, W1AGP Media and PR Manager - ARRL (860) 594-0328 apitts@arrl.org Ham Radio Saving Lives and Ready for More NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 31, 2005--Over 250 Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers in Louisiana are engaged in the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort and more are waiting in the wings to help as soon as they can enter storm-ravaged zones. Louisiana ARES Section Emergency Coordinator Gary Stratton, K5GLS, told ARRL that some 250 ham radio operators have been working with the Red Cross and the state's Office of Homeland Security Emergency Preparedness. State officials have not allowed emergency or other units to enter many of the zones still flooded, and there is still no communication with many coastal areas. ARES volunteers from outside the directly affected areas have been mustering to assist, but, Stratton says, until units can enter the flooded disaster areas "there's no place they can go yet. If everyone who has volunteered came, we could fill the state. But please hold on, it's going to be a very long time [recovering] for this." Meanwhile there are many reports of trapped residents who are calling relatives long distance or just dialing randomly on cell phones hoping for rescue. Some of these calls are connecting and being relayed into the 911 center. There the hams are taking the messages and relaying them to the emergency units closest to the trapped person. A high volume of family related requests reportedly is slowing the passage of critical tactical and emergency traffic. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) hams are now on a special frequency to accept and handle these inquiries on the air and via its Web site (http://www.qso.com/satern411/emailfrm.htm). Hams also provide emergency communications for The American Red Cross who have established a similar 'Get Info' hotline: 1-866 GET INFO (1-866-438-4636) -more- Ham Radio Page 2 Louisiana Section Manager Mickey Cox, K5MC, reported that some other Louisiana ARES teams also are in a holding pattern, awaiting word from relief agencies trying to assess what they need in terms of communication support and where, before they can officially activate. Cox also reported that Richard Webb, NF5B, from New Orleans was on the air from the Louisiana State University Hospital as of Monday afternoon during the storm. Louisiana Assistant Section Manager Mike King, W5PY, of Slidell, remains on the air since the storm helping provide emergency communications from a hospital on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. "When all else fails, Amateur Radio works is more than a catchy tag line," says Mark Conklin, N7XYO. "It's a lifeline," he said late Monday evening, after being involved in the rescue of 15 people from a rooftop. Hams are also now able to send digital, written messages out of the area which are delivered as email to other parts of the country. Using a Winlink system which blends the advantages of radio and internet, the hams are passing messages out for their served agencies. They do not have the ability to receive email messages into the area at this time. In Alabama, Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, reports Amateur Radio SKYWARN nets were active Monday, reporting the severe weather conditions to the National Weather Service (NWS). Sarratt himself handled a volunteer shift at the Huntsville NWS office Monday evening. He told ARRL Headquarters that ARES groups throughout the state--and especially in central and southern Alabama--have been supporting communication for local emergency management agencies and the Red Cross. -more- Ham Radio page 3 Mississippi Section Manager Malcolm Keown, W5XX, in Vicksburg, was reported on the air at different times. According to Assistant Section Manager Edwin Franks, AD5IF, Keown was using generator power, his regular antennas are all down and his area has no electrical power or telephone service. Franks also reports that he has been getting requests for information about friends and relatives from people calling him at home. W4WLF, Thomas Hammack, is the ham who has been providing emergency communications for the Harrison County Emergency Operations Center. ARRL Northern Florida Section Manager Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, reports his section is putting together a team of Amateur Radio operators to assist in neighboring Mississippi, once they get clearance to go there. The Florida mutual assistance team will be coordinated through the Florida State Emergency Operations Center. The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) ended days of operations for Hurricane Katrina on Tuesday. This network of ham radio stations works in cooperation with the National Hurricane Center to gather ground-level weather data during storms. Forecasters use the reports to help fine-tune their predictions of a storm's behavior. What do Amateur Radio operators do during and after disasters? Amateur Radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster. Amateur Radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages and destruction of cellular, internet and telephone lines. How do Amateur Radio operators help local officials? Many radio amateurs are active as communications volunteers with local public safety organizations. In addition, in some disasters, radio frequencies are not coordinated among relief officials and Amateur Radio operators step in to coordinate communication when radio towers and other elements in the normal communications infrastructure are damaged. -more- Ham Radio page 4 What are the major Amateur Radio emergency organizations? Amateur Radio operators have informal and formal groups to coordinate communication during emergencies. At the local level, hams may participate in local emergency organizations, or organize local "traffic nets". At the state level, hams are often involved with state emergency management operations. In addition, hams operate at the national level through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) which is coordinated through the American Radio Relay League and its field volunteers and through the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) which is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In addition, in areas that are prone to severe weather, many hams are involved in Skywarn, operating under the National Weather Service. Is Amateur Radio recognized as a resource by national relief organizations? Many national organizations have formal agreements with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other Amateur Radio groups including: * Department of Homeland Security - Citizen Corps * Federal Emergency Management Agency * National Communications System * American Red Cross * Salvation Army * National Weather Service * Association of Public Safety Communications Officials What are some examples of emergencies involving Amateur Radio? * Four Hurricanes in Florida and the Gulf - September 2004 * Hurricane Isabel - September 2003 * Northeast blackout - August 2003 * Shuttle Columbia recovery effort - February 2003 * World Trade Center and Pentagon terrorist attacks - September 2001 * Fires in Los Alamos, New Mexico - May 2000 * Hurricane Floyd - September 1999 * Hurricane Georges - September 1998 Allen G. Pitts, W1AGP Media and Public Relations Manager ARRL Newington, CT 06111 (860) 594-0328