Like wise, here in Washoe County, Nevada...We too, have our own radio room
and antenna systems at the REOC. ***ALL** of the area wide emergency
exercises include all forms of Amateur Radio Communication, from packet up
through HF (Including CW). Even the Federally mandated airport disaster
readiness drills include full Amateur Radio participation. All of the
ARES/RACES personnel have our emergency access identification badges,
listing our training (Emcomm 1, 2 , FEMA, Red Cross, etc.) signed by the
County Emergency Manager.. We have fully equipped radio rooms at all area
hospitals and participate regularly with their EOC's in their disaster
exercises.
Furthermore, we have a full linking repeater system across NorthWestern
Nevada and have established reliable simplex links in the same area. We
have designated HF contacts throughout the state, also 'linking' statewide
disaster services. We even have a statewide IRLP/Echolink network that can
AND is used in disaster training.
We have seen in exercises as simple as the local POD exercises, that the
county/state communications system breaks down and Amateur Radio carries the
day.
Is it beating a dead horse to flaunt Amateur Radio? I, for one, definitely
say NO. In a time of chaos, an Amateur Radio operator is the only one who
can step up and provide sanity and direction.....at least ARES/RACES members
can. We train regularly to assist in any way, our served agencies.
Cities and organizations, that try and restrict our access to the airwaves
by poorly thought out and selfishly approved restrictive antenna/tower
regulations are putting themselves in harm's way. They just can't see that
we are more than hobbyists, we can be, and have been, the life line needed
in times of crisis.
Joe Wolfe
WA6RKN
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Calder" <towertalk@n4zkf.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Palmdale CA: The rest of the story
> Our stuff works when others don't. I thank that our
> local Police and government realize that. We have our own room at the EOC.
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