Oil spill clean-up supported by radio amateurs

The response and recovery effort is continuing to the spill of 230 tonnes of oil from a ship that has affected about 60km of beaches on the coast of Queensland, Australia.

About 350 people have joined the clean-up as well as caring for wildlife that may be affected, including birds, turtles, dolphins and pelicans.

Under the auspices of Emergency Management Queensland (EMQ), a regional Specialist Communications Group (SCG) consisting of radio amateurs has been deployed.

Among the resources being used in response to the spill is the Sunshine Coast Amateur Radio Club’s emergency communications caravan that has been based at Kawana Surf Club on the Sunshine Coast.

Volunteers at the club converted a basic caravan, donated by the Maroochy Shire Council, into a mobile emergency communications unit with a major refit.

In recent years Queensland radio amateurs have volunteered to become members of the State Emergency Service in a dedicated communications unit (SCG).

The group has built a communications network which is interoperable with EMQ, the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Red Cross RECOM systems.

While the EMQ is seeking to continuously improve its communications systems it has welcomed the resources and expertise of the SCG.

(Amateur Radio Victoria www.amateurradio.com.au)