Mock epedemic challenges Californian radio hams

The scenario of a mock bird flu pandemic was the basis of a simulated emergency exercise, called 'Operation Kung Flu.'

This, involving about 200 Santa Barbara California County public health and disaster planning officials along with medical service representatives and of coarse a number of ham radio volunteer communicators.

Bruce Tennant, K6PZW, has the rest of the story:

The drill took place on June 20th . In past exercises, members of the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Emergency Service have played an important role in the Health Department’s backup communications between it and the local hospitals.

In this drill, officials realized the only contact they had with medical clinics and facilities for the was by telephone and cell phone. Neither would be very reliable if all members of the community were to try to use these services at the same time. So they requested the ARES group conduct a communications survey during the exercise to evaluate how effective it could be as a backup.

ARES members identified 34 facilities in the area and sent a team out to each location to record GPS coordinates. They also drew a map of directions to each location, conducted a radio check using mobile and handheld gear and sent back a slow scan television picture of the site.

The exercise proved ARES could establish solid communications at all locations tested. The data will be used to develop an information packet containing details on each facility for ARES members to use should they be deployed in an emergency.

During the actual drill, the County’s Emergency Operations Center was activated. It dealt with the challenges of coordinating health, logistics, communications, law enforcement, and information distribution to the media and public.

Because of this the ARES radio station at the EOC was itself brought on line. It was used for both voice communications and to receive slow scan pictures from the teams in the field.

Bruce Tennant, K6PZW
Amateur Radio Newsline

Following the exercise Bruce Carter, the Manager of the Office of Emergency Services for the County of Santa Barbara issued a letter praising the ARES hams.  He said and we quote: "ARES is always there, willing and up to any task."

Source: Amateur Radio Newsline, N6ZKJ