Radio Amateur to spearhead
DERA relief mission to Haiti
An ARRL member from Florida, Catherine Lawhun, KG4UKI, is heading to
Haiti with a small team to provide communication support for the relief
effort in the flood-ravaged city of Gonaives.
The Disaster Preparedness
and Emergency Response Association (DERA) is sponsoring the project.
Lawhun says she recognizes that while storm-stricken communities in the
US also need help in recovering, the need in Haiti is especially urgent.
"Haiti is really in trouble," Lawhun said recounting DERA's
rationale for making Haiti a priority. "The US is probably going
to recover. We have the resources. Haiti might not."
While plans remain in flux, Lawhun says she'll fly to Haiti October 5
with an Icom IC-706MkIIG HF/VHF/UHF transceiver to establish an HF link
to the US from Gonaives. The project still needs donations of General
Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) portables - which Lawhun's small team will
transport to Haiti--and Amateur Radio operators to serve as HF liaison
stations in the US.
Relief workers and medical personnel in the still-flooded city and at
a newly opened health center will use the GMRS transceivers to keep in
touch with her and with each other. The HF link will permit Lawhun to
communicate back to the US regarding the situation and any equipment or
supply needs. Doctors Without Borders is part of the relief effort in
Haiti.
"As many handheld devices as we can carry in can be given out to
doctors on the ground in the affected city," Lawhun said in an appeal
for both radios and cash donations on the DERA Special Projects Web
site. The page contains a link to a signup form for anyone wishing
to volunteer for daily HF monitoring shifts. "The need is huge. Please
get involved!"
Many Waters Resource Network will provide free FedEx shipment of GMRS
units and batteries, she said, and donors can email teams@many-waters.com
to request the shipping information. The Special Projects Web site includes
plan details and a "Make a Donation" button for cash
contributions. Donors also may send checks to DERA c/o Haiti Relief Support,
11445 Honey Jordan Pt, Inglis, FL 34449.
"When recovery is completed for the current disaster, the communications
station will remain on the island," said Lawhun, a radio amateur
for about five years. "This will give the entire island a leg up
in the event of any future catastrophes and establish a working relationship
between DERA and the entire network of missions currently active on the
island."
Lawhun, who edits DERA's newsletter, also is a member of The Salvation
Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) and serves as DERA's SATERN
liaison.
While the DERA project initially had hoped to use local Amateur Radio
operators with VHF handhelds, Lawhun says she found few ham radio operators
in Haiti who were willing to risk entering the city, which not only is
ravaged by floodwaters but by disease and looting. She still hopes that
Amateur Radio emergency communication resources can be developed in Haiti
for future disasters.
"I'm one of those people who has just enough faith to get me in
trouble," Lawhun quipped. "So, I decided that I would pursue
this as long as doors would open, and, lo and behold, they are, so here
I am."
A wall of water and mud resulting from then-Tropical Storm Jeanne inundated
much of Gonaives September 18 as it lingered over the island of Hispaniola
for more than a day, dumping heavy rain. The densely populated city of
some 200,000 was the most severely affected region in Haiti.
As of this week, the death toll was nearly 1300, and hundreds more are
still missing.
Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The
American Radio Relay League
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