Communication During a Disaster

First of all I would like to say goodby for now to all of the snowbirds that have or will be leaving us. Have a safe trip going home and a safe trip on your return next season.

So far we have had a very mild season so far as hurricanes are concerned. Although I would like to think that this coming hurricane season will be the same, there is no way of knowing until it is here.

For those of you who will be here during this upcoming hurricane season, please check you backpack and if there are any supplies that you need let me know. We have re-stocked our medical supplies and will be giving them out as needed. You will be informed when we will be doing this.

As I stated in my last message, we have three CERT members with ham radios, myself, Mervin Baranick and Mel Waxman. We need more. Please re-read my last message.

We now have a Ham Radio Club called Harriet’s Hamsters. I have no idea where Harriet, our club President, got that name so please don’t ask. We hold monthly meetings to discuss many things, among which were:

What our role is in the case of an emergency

How we would communicate with the EOA

How we would communicate with each other

What we would say in the case of an emergency 

On May 12^th we will be learning how to build a portable antenna called a J Pole antenna. It will allow us to communicate over a much greater distance then we could with the small rubber ducky antennas that the handheld radios come with.

In case of an emergency, ham radios may very well be the only form of communication. It is vital that more of you take the course, the test and get a radio.

Phil Ettenger: Team Leader