It seems that natural and man-made disasters are increasingly frequent phenomena capable of striking at any time, irrespective of local, regional or international boundaries.

Big Island ARRL News, 28 September 2016, Post #11.

Source: Volunteer Connection: Amateur radio — a key component of disaster response (http://www.journaltimes.com/lifestyles/senior_news/volunteer-connection-amateur-radio-a-key-component-of-disaster-response…).

Accessed on 29 September 2016, 00:45 hrs, UTC.

Reporter:  Bruce Davis, Director, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program-Racine County.

Please click title link to read the full story.

Comment:

An interesting and often inspiring report on what radio amateurs are doing for disaster preparedness in Racine and Kenosha Counties in Wisconsin.

Bruce Davis gives us a quick rundown on how ARRL-affiliated radio clubs, ARES, repeater organizations, and the Quarter Century Wireless Association are working together to provide emergency communications services to this part of southeastern Wisconsin.

Amateur radio operators in these two counties have been able to secure a communications trailer with emergency power to help county and city emergency management personnel should the need arise.

Although ARES members on Hawaii Island don’t have a dedicated communications vehicle, we can still work closely with the ARRL and Civil Defense Agency officials to provide vital communications services in times of disaster.

As Mr. Davis rightly says, “Ham Radio operators, operating on portable power supplies, are a steady source of benefit and assistance relaying messages to and from emergency authorities.”  This is a goal worth pursuing by each of us.

Radio amateurs on Hawaii Island can fine tune their communications skills during the annual ARRL Simulated Emergency Test this Saturday, 01 October 2016, from 0900 to 1200 hours Hawaii Time.  For details, contact Clement Jung (KH7HO) at 808-663-8163.

Don’t forget to attend the Big Island Ham Fest on Saturday, 12 November 2016, from 0900 to 1400 hours Hawaii Time at the Waimea Park Facility on Kawaihae Road in Kamuela.  For details, call Steven Milner at 808-881-3783.

Please send your radio club activities and events to kh6jrm@arrl.net.  I will then contact our local print and electronic media to publicize your event.

Until next time,

Aloha es 73 de Russ (KH6JRM)

ARRL PIO (Hawaii Island)