Amateur radio, a valuable disaster communication resource

Amateur radio technology has historically played an important role in emergency communications during large-scale disasters all around the world.  During Hurricane Katrina, for instance, hundreds of  "ham" radio operators traveled south with their mobile radio equipment to help provide what was often the only method of communications that victims--cut off from telephones, cell and the internet service and even television broadcasts--had with official government information sources.  And during Hurricane Earl in September 2010, amateur enthusiasts manned their highly portable radio equipment to provide critical communications for many of the Red Cross evacuation shelters throughout the Northeast.

That's why it's a so important for emergency managers to reach out to local ham radio operators and groups.  Odds are they'll be more than enthusiastic about volunteering their time, technical know-how and talent to be a part of your emergency communications strategy.

Speaking on behalf of the American Red Cross, Bob Birch, a Red Cross volunteer says, “This isn’t just your grandpa’s quaint little hobby.  The communication networks amateur radio people can stand up and operate instantly have saved many lives in recent months when other systems failed or were overloaded. Amateur radio is a vital part of Red Cross preparedness and response in times of emergency and we stand ready to contribute our skills whenever they are needed.”

Retrieved by Claude Everton VE2YI
Source: Federal Signal Blog