"Ham Radio" operators gather for annual Field Day

On the evening of March 2, 2012 tornadoes had wiped out communication in Henryville, IN. Phone lines and electricity were down along with communication systems used by emergency responders. The Clark County Emergency Coordinator for Amateur Radio took his personal RV, which is fully equipped to set up emergency communication, to the fire station in Henryville where response agencies had gathered. During the first 18-24 hours, members from Amateur Radio clubs across Kentucky and Southern Indiana established communication to provide their services, free of charge, to local emergency management and authorities.

Amateur Radio operator Roman Rusinek.

Roman Rusinek was one of the local amateur radio operators that responded to the disaster. Roman obtained his amateur radio license in 1995 and joined the Oldham County Kentucky Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) when the volunteer group formed last year. The thing that most drew him to the hobby was the community service aspect—helping others during emergencies.

“It takes a lot of preparation and practice to prepare for an emergency,” Roman said adding that he was impressed with the coordination of emergency communication efforts following the March 2 tornadoes.

To prepare for the real deal, amateur radio operators participate in drills offered by the city, county, state and nation that involve emergency management and local authorities. The drills offer an opportunity to build relationships and plan for when disaster does strike.

Operators also provide their services at local bike rides, run/walks and other events where emergency communication might be needed. It gives them an opportunity to test out their equipment and learn where their receivers have the best reception, so that during an actual emergency, they know where they can and cannot set up shop.

Amateur Radio played a larger role in disaster response before cell phones became a staple in every back pocket and handbag, but even cell towers can be affected by disaster. Cell phone lines are quickly tied up when people are trying to contact friends and family to ensure their safety. Without the use of electricity, Amateur Radio operators provide a separate channel for communication avoiding the possibility of being denied due to swamped lines. It’s like their motto says “When all else fails . . . Amateur Radio.”

Roman and other members of the Oldham County ARES will be staging demonstrations from 1-9 p.m. this Saturday, June 23 at the Oldham County Red Cross, 1215 N Highway 393 in Buckner, KY. The demos are part of ARRL Field Day sponsored by the National Association for Amateur Radio. More than 35,000 operators will gather at various locations across the country to show how radio can act very much like the internet when needed. Visitors can view the equipment used and even go “on-air.”

Roman hopes that Field Day will help inform the community of the full capabilities of Amateur Radio and spark interest in others, especially kids. To learn more about Amateur Radio, please visit www.arrl.org.

Louisville FedEx Express Teams with Red Cross on Disaster Response

The following post is by Angela Nicholas, a Red Cross volunteer from the Coastal South Carolina Chapter in Myrtle Beach, SC. Angela is a former Chapter Executive and is currently volunteering with Red Cross Public Affairs. This past week, she has been out in the field collecting stories from Southern Indiana residents affected by the March 3 tornadoes.

A team of volunteers from the Louisville region FedEx Express facility partnered with the American Red Cross this week to provide bulk distribution items to victims of the recent string of violent tornadoes that struck Southern Indiana and Eastern Kentucky. FedEx has a long-standing partnership with the American Red Cross and has for a decade been a loyal donor providing cash and in-kind donations, as well as episodic support.

FedEx supports the communities they serve through strategic investment of their people, resources and network. Manager of the Crittenden Drive FedEx Express facility Jeff Bishop said, “The company solicited volunteers from the 175 local staff members to see how FedEx volunteers could help with the disaster recovery effort.” After viewing some of the devastation more than a week after the event, Bishop said, “It’s heartbreaking, devastating, and indescribable. I’ve never seen damage like this from Mother Nature. This is something the people from these communities will carry with them the rest of their lives.”

The FedEx Express team traveled with local Red Cross volunteers March 10 providing bulk distribution of clean up supplies that included work gloves, shovels, coolers, and rakes, as well as bottled water in the devastated areas of Henryville, Borden, Daisy Hill, and New Pekin.

Angela Sexton, security specialist with FedEx Express’ Central Regional Security division, said the shock of seeing the damage “grabs you inside.” Sexton lives within 11 miles south of where the tornadoes struck. “Viewing the area in person,” Sexton said, “was like something you’d see in the movies and not something you expect in real life. While our team is small in number we hope to make an impact.”

Bishop was accompanied by his 16-year-old son, Bradley, a junior in high school, who related to the loss suffered by the students of Henryville High School, a school that was destroyed by the storm. “I just wanted to do whatever I could do to help out,” he said. “I feel sorry for the kids because they have to be placed in different schools with new people and it will be different for them.”

The FedEx team saw first hand the work and resources provided by Red Cross staff and volunteers and were impressed at how the communities have come together with neighbor helping neighbor. “It’s very impressive to see people come together like that, doing the simple things like picking up sticks and raking.” Bishop said the local FedEx facility was thankful all their employees were accounted for and uninjured from the disaster. He and the other team members left that day ready to learn more about becoming a disaster response volunteer.