From: waco@cbnewse.cb.att.com (john.l.broughton)
Subject: Re: Emergency communications in South Florida
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 1992 13:25:51 GMT

In article <10545@sun13.scri.fsu.edu> nall@sun8.scri.fsu.edu (John Nall) writes

>It is interesting (and distressing) to note that *none* of the
>news broadcasts I have seen, nor any of the newspapers that I
>have read, have made any mention whatsoever of hams being involved
>in emergency communications in the hurricane-hit area of Miami.
>
>On the other hand, they have emphasized several times that there
>is (or was, at any rate) a real problem with communicating with
>some of the outlying areas.  That there was food, water, etc.,
>available at shelters, but no way to let people know about it.
>
>Three possibilities occur to me:
>
>(1)	The hams down there all had their own problems, and
>	couldn't stop to do emergency communications (but why
>	didn't hams from the outside come in?)

  Listening to some of the 20M nets, I have run across only one ham
  operating HF mobile out of the Cutler Ridge area.

>(2) There was plenty of ham involvement, but it just did
>	not get publicized.  (Guys too busy to stop and do
>	P/R work).

  Probably one of the reasons.

>(3) Everyone assumed that modern technology (cellular
>	phones, etc.) made it unnecessary to provide for such
>	arcane methods of communication.  (Wonder how many of
>	the cellular-transmission towers are still standing??)

  Another good candidate.  I think this is one area we hams have to
  be aware of as an opportunity to educate the public that when
  disasters occur, many things are no longer available that we
  take for granted.  Some may consider amateur radio "old fashioned"
  but when disaster strikes, that may be all that is immediately available.

>Been a number of years since I did that type of thing (the
>last time was during Camille in 1969), but I'm curious as
>to whether or not things have changed.
>
>John
>
>
>--
>John W. Nall              | Supercomputer Computations Research Institute
>nall@mailer.scri.fsu.edu  | Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306
>  Actually, love means that you *do* have to say you're sorry, even
>	 if you're really not in the least bit sorry. - (me)

I don't know the details of local amateur assistance in the current disaster
nor the news coverage.  However, in the Chicago area I have seen several items
on TV news about hams assisting in communication, with one being a Salvation
Army officer who is also a ham.  Having had a little experience in disaster
communication after the tornado in Plainfield, IL, two years ago, I think
individual hams are concerned with doing their jobs and the PR comes with
it when a news crew happens to interview a ham or one of the emergency
agencies brings it up.  I don't think it hurts for amateurs to contact local
TV and radio stations and newspapers to make them aware of what we do in
emergenciesa, or invite them to Field Day as our club did and got an article
in the paper as well as a local cable TV station.

In DuPage County, IL, we have a newtwork of ham volunteers working with the
Office of Emergency Management to provide emergency communications and we
attend annual training sessions along with emergency personnel.  At Plainfield
I was assigned to the Will County Sheriff's command center for a day.  No less
than three times, once by the sergeant in charge, I was told that without the
assistance of amateurs, they could not have done their job.  It seems that
outside of amateur radio, there were no direct communications possible between
the police, ESDA/OEM/ Red Cross, Salvation Army, etc.  Also, cell cites are
liable to be disabled by severe storms, so even with cellular phones, hams are
still important.  It was a satisfying feeling to be a small part of the
help at Plainfield, but it would be better not to have the experience due
to the fact that no disaster occurred to require it.  Many hams from the area
worked several days and nights to assist.

We are fortunate in that the OEM in DuPage County firmly believes that
hams are an integral part of emergency preparedness.

73,

John L. Broughton, WB9VGJ
AT&T
Naperville, IL
john.l.broughton@att.com
att!john.l.broughton

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