Maryland radio hams assist in road rescue

Two Maryland ham radio operators recently helped bring speedy assistance to the scene of a two-car collision near northern Stafford County, according to the Fredricksburg Free Lance Star on-line.

During a heavy rainstorm on July 27, Siegfried Gates, KG4UCM was driving south on State Route 612 along the western edge of Quantico Marine Corps Base. At 6:30 p.m. he came across two cars that had plunged into the southbound ditch. Other vehicles had stopped to see if they could assist.

Gates asked if anyone had called 911 and he was told there was no cell signal in the area. So KG4UCM used his 2 meter radio to contact Camden Bullock, N2CLB, who in turn used his cellular phone to call the local emergency response number. He was connected to the Prince William County dispatcher. Within minutes the Stafford emergency unit arrived and the victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

T.J. Pittman ,N4SJX, is secretary of the Stafford Amateur Radio Association. He told the newspaper that this story brings great credit to the two ham radio operators, and also to the police dispatchers and the medical teams who responded to the aid of our citizens during this time of need.

Source: ARNewsline, eHam.net, Fredricksburg Free Lance, K0OV