Pilman Radio amateurs have held training sessions for lost hiker searches at the park previously. When the real search happened, Pilman sez the preparations paid off with an operation that went smoothly. We set up a 2 meter base station, held all of our nets on 2 meters. At different locations that were stationary and of course a ham radio operator went out with every search team that was out in the park. Pilman About a dozen amateurs took part in the search.
Ham radio can play a very important part in search and rescue activities.
We can, a trained person that can walk in the woods and communicate is a real plus. Pilman About 17 hours after Penny Brehman was reported missing, came the news everyone was hoping for. She had walked out of the park and flagged down a passing freight train. The engineer picked Brehman up and dropped her off near a local police department. That brought to an end one of the biggest searches in the park's history.