A National Hurricane Center graphic (click to update) showing the position and projected path of Hurricane Ivan as of September 10, 1500 UTC.
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A National Hurricane Center graphic (click to update) showing the position and projected path of Hurricane Ivan as of September 10, 1500 UTC. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 10, 2004--As Hurricane Ivan (click link for latest forecast) approaches Jamaica after wreaking havoc elsewhere in the Caribbean Sea, weary Amateur Radio Emergency Service/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (ARES/RACES) volunteers in Florida are bracing for a possible visit. Should Hurricane Ivan strike Florida as current National Hurricane Center projections indicate, it would mark the third hurricane in a month. Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jim Goldsberry, KD4GR, says that, although the state continues to recover from the two previous storms, ARES will be ready if Ivan makes landfall in Florida.
"Nobody's thrilled to have a third one here, I'll tell you that," Goldsberry said of the prospect of Ivan's arrival. "It's like disbelief--how can this be happening? But they're ready, and whatever we have to do we will do."
He said ARES volunteers would staff shelters and local emergency operations centers as needed and "make sure everyone's as safe as possible--that's the important thing," he added. As of September 10, Goldsberry said, everyone was on standby and keeping a close watch on what's happening with Hurricane Ivan. Goldsberry said he has restored the dipole he lost to Hurricane Frances and is prepared to resume Southern Florida ARES nets on 40 and 75 meters if the need arises.
In West Central Florida, Section Manager Dave Armbrust, AE4MR, is a bit less optimistic. He said this week that if Hurricane Frances was any indication, volunteer operators will be in short supply in Florida should Ivan hit the peninsula.
"With these disasters I have learned I cannot count the folks I have until they arrive," he said. "The more amateurs we have the more good we can do." Right now, however, Armbrust said amateur volunteers in his section "are exhausted and burned out" after the Frances response.
"To have two storms back to back is unheard of," he said "To have three is unthinkable, but, unfortunately, we must prepare as this one could be far worst for us then the first two." He said the Sarasota County EOC was going on Level 1 alert on September 12. He said he anticipates that ARES volunteers in his section will be manning shelters, hospitals, police stations and EOCs starting September 12.
"As exhausting as this all has been to our hams, what is far too clear is that it is very necessary," Armbrust said. "Even in our high tech communication world Amateur Radio is still very relevant and is the only reliable communications when such a disaster strikes."
Northern Florida Section Traffic Net Manager Dale Sewell, N4SGQ, announced the startup of special Northern Florida Phone Net sessions starting September 10 at 1630 UTC on 7242 and 1900 UTC on 3950 kHz in addition to the net's regular 2330 UTC session.
Northern Florida SEC Nils Millergren, WA4NDA, said he'd heard from an amateur in Texas with relatives in Florida who was planning to drive to Florida next week in his RV to be ready to provide help if needed. Millergren indicated that Amateur Radio operations in relief of Hurricane Frances have wrapped up in his section.
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz is into its second day of activation for Hurricane Ivan. The net took a short breather before reactivating September 9. Net Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, said the HWN will be listening for ground-level weather reports and damage reports in Jamaica before it turns its attention to Cuba--next in the storm's path. Pilgrim said he anticipates the HWN will remain active during 20-meter band openings until Ivan no longer represents a threat to populated areas.
Reports from maritime mobiles, primarily in Grenada, indicated severe damage there. WinLink-equipped stations are reported to be operating out of stricken areas in Grenada. The Waterway Radio and Cruising Club network on 7.268 MHz and the Maritime Mobile Service Net on 14.300 MHz have become centers of activity for hurricane relief and recovery information for that region.
At 1800 UTC, the National Hurricane Center reported that winds should begin to increase soon in Jamaica, and "preparations to protect life and property should have already been completed." A hurricane warning remains in effect for Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. Although it's throttled back to a Category 4 storm, Hurricane Ivan still was packing sustained winds of 145 MPH. The storm was 85 miles south-southeast of Kingston and moving to the west-northwest at 12 MPH.
During the recent rash of storms, the HWN has worked hand-in-hand with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center to gather real-time ground-level weather data and damage reports from Amateur Radio volunteers in a storm's path. The net relays these to forecasters via WX4NHC, which regularly checks into the net and also disseminates weather updates.
Because of the activity the storms have generated, the HWN has issued a plea for contributions to purchase additional capacity for its Web site, which offers access to the latest weather forecasts as well as storm graphics.
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