🚀 go-pugleaf

I have sent this to the WX-CHASE newsgroup, but I thought it might spawn
some discussion here as well...

From a previous post by Ed Carp:
>It's becoming quite common for emergency managers and emergency department
>heads to disregard the utility of amateur radio, tending to rely instead
on >cellular phones and cell modems.  "We dont need hams, we've got our own
>communications."

And from Roger Edwards:
>Based on many conversations I've had with people associated with that event,
>it's becoming clearer to me that a cell phone may not have done much good,
>either.  My partner (Steve Marks) had 2-meter equipment; but the only
>person who heard us was the other NWS-met chaser (Bill Bunting) who was
>also trying to report the tornado via his ham radio.  Another factor may
>have been that we were using hand-held, since we had lost the external
>mag-mount antenna before the start of the chase trip.

Generally speaking, I would tend to agree with Ed.  Many EM and Emergency
Service folks discount the advantages that Ham Radio (ARES/Skywarn) can
offer the emergency preparedness and response community.  Those of us
involved with EM and Ham Radio should take every opportunity to educate our
peers.

I was not able to locate any Skywarn activity in Spencer, but as Roger has
indicated, our range was limited to the capabilities of an HT and rubber
duck antenna.  Additionally, as SD is not normally typical chase terriory
for me, I was not well versed on local amateur radio activity.  You can bet
that next time I will have as many local frequencies as possible as well as
an external antenna!  It was a terrible, helpless feeling for me to see
such a large and destructive tornado and not be able to report it in a
timely manner.

As far as notification of 911 centers and cell phones go, my experience has
been that most 911 centers are not in a position to relay reports of severe
weather to local NWS offices.  When severe weather is occurring, most 911
centers are so busy taking emergency calls and dispatching units that there
is precious little time to make a call to the NWS.  And sometimes, cell
lines are tied up anyway, preventing mobile callers from contacting anyone.

As far as I am concerned, where available, Skywarn and/or ARES Nets are an
excellent means to share severe weather information to a wide variety of
folks, including NWS, EM and various public safety agencies.  For those
chasers and spotters who are not Hams, perhaps they could compile a list of
the severe weather reporting hotlines (often toll free phone numbers) for
the respective NWS offices that they may impact.  When cell phones are
operational or where land lines are available, severe weather reports could
be directed to the local NWS offices instead of the 911 centers.

Steve

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Steve Marks, Asst Coordinator                   emaa@interpath.com
Greensboro-Guilford Co. Emergency Management    Ph  (336) 373-2278
1514 N. Church Street                           Fax (336) 373-2557
Greensboro, North Carolina 27405                TDD (336) 373-4153

Amateur Radio KE4FCW, Member Guilford Co. ARES & Triad Skywarn
When severe weather threatens the Triad, tune to 145.25, 146.76 MHz

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