Salvation Army Still Needs Ham Volunteers in New York City

NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 2, 2001--Although the Salvation Army has cut one shift of radio operators to support the organization's World Trade Center relief operation in New York City, it still needs fresh Amateur Radio volunteers. "We are still short of people," said Jeff Schneller, N2HPO--who's coordinating the Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Network, or SATERN, operation.

Schneller said the midnight to 8 AM shift has been suspended, but SATERN still needs six Amateur Radio operators per shift--a total of 12 per day--for the indefinite future. He said he appreciates the volunteers who have turned out so far to assist the Salvation Army effort, but those there the longest now "are getting weary," he said.

SATERN needs operators at the Kennedy Airport warehouse with their own base station set up from about 8 AM until about 9 PM--possibly broken into shifts. In addition, SATERN needs operators to ride with trucks to provide communication. He said the Salvation Army now has three trucks running from morning till night. He said this effort also can be broken into shifts, but determining exact shift times is difficult because of traffic and loading and unloading delays. "They try for 4 PM as a shift change time," he said. Operators start and end these shifts at Salvation Army Division HQ on 14th Street in Manhattan, where SATERN also needs operators.

Schneller said that, if sufficient additional operators are available, they may be deployed to check on canteen sites and/or ride with other vehicles that are providing Ground Zero support or relief.

"Radio usage is becoming less emergency-oriented and more long-term logistical support oriented as time goes by," Schneller said. "Response from around the nation and the world has been heart-warming, especially those amateur operators who were willing to put their life on hold, so that they could come help out for a few days or weeks in NYC."

Schneller said the word he has from Salvation Army is that the organization is happy with the Amateur Radio support they've been getting. "They want us to keep going," he said. So far, he said, some 40 Amateur Radio operators have turned out to help support the Salvation Army relief effort--some from the New York City area but others from as far away as Missouri, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.

Schneller requested that potential volunteers contact him directly:

Home: 718-461-0370

Cell : 917-226-1339

Page: 718-939-3939 (give message to operator)

Ham radio: Call N2HPO on the 147.270 repeater (141.3 or 127.3 CTCSS).

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