Florida amateur radio volunteers answer the call

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) volunteers from all three Florida ARRL sections answered the call this week to provide communication support in the wake of Hurricane Wilma.

Millions of residents in South Florida remained without power at week's end, and relief agencies were continuing efforts to meet basic needs of affected residents. Ham radio volunteers turned out in force to assist them, although the need for additional Amateur Radio support waned--perhaps
only momentarily--toward week's end.

"Things seem to be winding down," ARRL Southern Florida Section Emergency Communications Coordinator Jeff Beals, WA4AW, said October 28. "We've put a temporary hold on new operators to assist the affected counties in the Southern Florida Section." As of week's end, Beals said, some 60 Amateur Radio volunteers from Florida plus a few from outside the state were deployed in hurricane-affected counties.

Beals has been coordinating the deployment of Amateur Radio volunteers in his section with assistance from ARRL West Central Florida SEC Neil Lauritsen, W4NHL, and ARRL Northern Florida SEC Joe Bushel, W2DWR. Since Wilma raked the Florida peninsula, Amateur Radio volunteers have been
providing vital tactical communications for the Red Cross and its shelters, special care facilities, county emergency operations centers (EOCs), state logistical staging areas (LSAs), and points of distribution (PODs) for food, ice and water, Beals said

At week's end Beals was visiting EOCs in Broward and Palm Beach counties to determine their present and future needs for Amateur Radio communication support. He said things could pick up again next week. "I believe the situation is as good as it can be at the moment," Beals explained October
28, "but we believe there may be additional needs next week and the week after, as well as to replace people who have been working long hours at their posts."

Earlier in the week in Palm Beach County, ARRL Emergency Coordinator Dave Messinger, N4QPM, reported Amateur Radio volunteers were staffing three Red Cross shelters, a special care unit, the Red Cross Chapter house, the LSA at the county fairgrounds and the county EOC. Staging areas for volunteers in Southern Florida are in the Palm Beach and W Palm Beach and Broward County EOCs.

Beals said the Amateur Radio link between the Broward EOC and the Palm Beach Fairgrounds distribution point has proven invaluable as a primary communication channel because of problems with satellite telephones.

The Wellington RACES team spearheaded by RACES Radio Officer Larry Lazar, KS4NB, was handling local health-and-welfare traffic. The Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) on 14.265 MHz also was taking Hurricane Wilma health-and-welfare traffic. HF traffic nets have been
running smoothly throughout the activation.

Northern Florida State Government Liaison Ted Zateslo, W1XO, reported generators in high demand this week as widespread power outages hampered relief efforts. Southern Florida SM Sherri Brower, W4STB, still without electricity, was told it could be up to two weeks before power is restored in her area, Zateslo said. Brower does have telephone service, however.

Beals said that he and Brower "wish to express our appreciation to all the amateurs who have answered the call for assistance to our section."

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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