Hurricane hams praised

The official review into the US’s response to Hurricane Katrina has praised the role radio amateurs played in the relief effort.

Katrina killed more than a thousand people across five states when it struck the Gulf coast of America in August 2005, flooding the city of New Orleans.

The hurricane wiped out conventional communication systems. But thanks to the bravery and quick response of numerous radio amateurs, an emergency communications network was set up, helping the emergency services to coordinate relief operations.

The official review is largely critical of the federal government’s response to Hurricane Katrina. The document cites “systemic problems in federal emergency preparedness and response” and calls for 11 actions to be taken before the first day of the 2006 hurricane season.

However, amateur radio was singled out for credit in a section entitled “What went right” with the Katrina response. The report praised radio amateurs for working tirelessly to assist emergency services that, due to the storm, did not have the equipment and means to effectively carry out their duties.

It also cited one dramatic example of how amateur radio helped save lives following the disaster. A distress call made from a cell phone on a rooftop in New Orleans to Baton Rouge was relayed, via ham radio, from Louisiana to Oregon, then Utah, and finally back to emergency personnel in Louisiana, who rescued the 15 stranded victims.

The report also recognised the work of radio operators who voluntarily manned the amateur radio stations at sites such as the National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Watch Net, Waterway Net, Skywarn and the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network.

Source: GB2RS News - Courtesy of the RSGB