Amateur Radio Remains "Only Viable Means" of Communication in Some Areas

NEWINGTON, CT, Oct 3, 2005--In the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the need continues for both Amateur Radio communication and for volunteer operators. South Texas ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, reported over the weekend that all 35,000 residents of Jasper County are among more than 175,000 Texans without electric power more than a week after Rita struck. Without electricity, he says, Amateur Radio repeaters are only usable when connected to an on-site generator and regularly refueled--something he called "a daunting task" with fuel both in short supply and expensive.

"Just to meet the basic nutrition needs of those in the devastated area, The Salvation Army and other organizations continue to daily prepare and distribute food among many small towns in Jasper and adjacent counties," Reimer told ARRL. "Amateur Radio--primarily 40-meter SSB--is the only viable means to effectively coordinate the mobile canteens as they travel out from the kitchen in Jasper."

Reimer says that, ideally, a ham radio volunteer would accompany each of the five mobile canteens to allow prompt reporting of meals served at each site and town visited. Ham radio also can speed reports identifying sites where more people show up than there are meals available. Canteens without an operators, Reimer says, must first return to Jasper to delivery their report, considerably slowing the response time. Until the food distribution stabilizes, he expects the need for mobile HF operators to continue.

South Texas ARRL SM Ray Taylor, N5NAV, says there's still a need for back-up net control operators for the West Gulf ARES Emergency Net, which has been up and running since Hurricane Rita struck the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast. The net convenes on 7.285 MHz days and on 3.873 MHz evenings. Taylor said it's important to have some operators to monitor the net so that volunteers deployed to disaster zones can keep in touch with someone while en route. The West Gulf ARES Emergency Net provides daily updates on the Hurricane Rita emergency response at noon and 7 PM Central Daylight Time.

Meanwhile, ARRL Alabama Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, at the American Red Cross marshaling center in Montgomery, Alabama, reports a diminishing need for Amateur Radio assistance in the hardest-hit counties of southern Mississippi. "We currently have amateurs in support of the emergency operations centers in Hancock and Harrison counties, American Red Cross shelters, kitchens, PODs and Salvation Army sites, but we are now phasing out Amateur Radio support," he told ARRL today.

Now marking one month on duty at the Montgomery staging area, Sarratt says the telecommunication infrastructure in the affected counties continues to improve, and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he feels the need for Amateur Radio communication support will continue to decline.

Sarratt said Hancock County EOC, forced to take up temporary quarters because of Hurricane Katrina, will be relocated to yet another site October 5, and Amateur Radio volunteers will support that transition.

Louisiana SEC Gary Stratton, K5GLS, reports radio amateurs in his section continue to meet emergency communication needs. He said Amateur Radio volunteers are supporting FEMA in Thibodaux, where damage assessment is under way by keeping teams in the community in contact with a FEMA office in Lake Charles.

Prospective volunteers may indicate their willingness to deploy by first signing up on the "Hurricane Katrina Disaster Communications & Volunteer Registration and Message Traffic Database" or on the "Hurricane Rita Disaster Communications Volunteer Registration & Message Traffic Database." They should then await word on whether to deploy. Operators should not self-deploy! If requested to report, they should notify their ARRL SEC.

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