Storm-Weary Amateur Radio Volunteers Confront Hurricane's Aftermath

The projected path of Tropical Depression Jeanne (click on link to update) as of 1500 UTC September 27. [National Hurricane Center Graphic]

NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 27, 2004--Amateur Radio is part of the relief and recovery effort in the wake of the fourth hurricane in six weeks to hit Florida. The latest, Hurricane Jeanne (click link for latest forecast)--now a tropical depression--made landfall over the weekend as a Category 3 storm with 120 MPH winds some 5 miles southeast of Stuart--not far from where Hurricane Frances struck September 5. Authorities are blaming the storm for at least six deaths, and the state has been declared a major disaster area. Hams were at the ready before Hurricane Jeanne arrived, supplementing communication at emergency operations centers and shelters set up for those who evacuated ahead of the storm. ARRL Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jim Goldsberry, KD4GR, says Indian River County "again seem to be the hardest hit." He's been attempting to marshal additional Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) volunteers in the hardest-hit counties to assess their needs for relief operators to spell those on duty over the weekend.

"Those of you who are in counties that did not suffer a lot of damage please consider volunteering your help," he said today in a message to Southern Florida Section members. "Those in the harder-hit counties will need relief soon. If you can help, please contact your EC and he will coordinate the effort from you county."

Goldsberry said preliminary reports from Palm Beach, Martin, St Lucie and Indian River counties indicate that ARES members have their EOCs covered for the time being. Brevard County also was affected, but Goldsberry says that's one of the counties he hasn't heard from yet. He asked SFL members having information about affected counties needing Amateur Radio communication support to get in touch with him anytime via e-mail or telephone (954-605-3863).

A NOAA-17 satellite photo of Hurricane Jeanne as the storm made landfall Saturday along Florida's east coast.

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN)--whose members tracked the storm up through the Caribbean--wrapped up three full days of communication support at 1815 UTC on September 26.

"Since the wind field was much larger than Frances', Jeanne knocked out recently restored power to much of east and central Florida quite early and easily," said HWN Assistant Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV. He noted that since debris cleaned up after Hurricane Frances had not yet been picked up, Hurricane Jeanne had an "abundance of projectiles" at her disposal.

Other reports indicated that after Frances denuded much of the region's vegetation, Jeanne came along and tore off roofs, then dumped heavy rain into the vulnerable houses and buildings. The storm has disrupted conventional telecommunications and left some 2.5 million homes without electrical power.

Graves says HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, who lives in Boca Raton, lost power Saturday evening, but he's got all utilities back as of this morning. Over the storm's course, HWN members received reports throughout the northwestern Bahamas and eastern and central Florida. Many areas of the Bahamas also were still recovering from Hurricane Frances earlier this month. As Marti Brown, KF4TRG/C6A, reported to the HWN: "Let me tell you that this storm was virtual hell."

The HWN works hand-in-hand with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center in Miami to gather 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. The HWN Web site contains forecasts and storm graphics.

The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) on 14.265 MHz has been handling health-and-welfare traffic in the aftermath of the storm on the air and via its Web site.

Special sessions of the Southern Florida ARES Net were called up throughout the weekend on 7242 kHz.

Northern Florida SEC Nils Millergren, WA4NDA, reported that operators were lined up to handle shelter duty over the weekend in Flagler, Orange, Seminole, Lake and Volusia counties.

In West Central Florida--which took the brunt of Hurricane Charley in August--shelters were emptying, and ARES was able to handle any communication needs with available volunteers.

The projected path of Tropical Storm Lisa (click on link to update) as of 1500 UTC September 27.

Georgia is the next state in the path of Jeanne, now a tropical storm and soon to be downgraded to a tropical depression. As of 1500 UTC, the storm was 35 miles south of Macon, Georgia, and heading on a path that would take it back out to sea along the North Carolina/Virginia coast early Wednesday.

The National Hurricane Center predicts that storm surge flooding along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts should gradually subside today. Additional rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches--with isolated higher amounts--are possible in association with the storm. Isolated tornadoes are possible from extreme eastern Georgia northeastward through Southern North Carolina today.

Georgia Gov Sonny Purdue declared a state of emergency, and schools systems from Savannah to Augusta and as far west as Macon canceled classes today. Media reports indicate that thousands of Florida-bound airline passengers have been stranded at other airports because of the air traffic backup and closed airports in Florida.

August and September have seen unprecedented activity, said the HWN's Graves, who thanked all stations that participated in the recent activation. Unless Tropical Storm Lisa "changes her mind and track," he added, HWN members could get a well-deserved rest. Four major storms have not struck the same state in the same year since 1886. "Let us hope and pray that record is not broken this year," Graves said.

The official end of the hurricane season is November 30.

Previous: Two Shacks Merge into One atop Highwood Baldy

Next: ARRL Invites Nominations for 2004 International Humanitarian Award