Ham radio tests emergency communications in Maine

To the Editor:

America has been reminded of the critical role of amateur radio year after year as ham operators came from all over the country to provide emergency communications when other systems failed during recovery efforts from major hurricanes and floods.  This year the hams’ work continued providing life-saving services in many floods and wildfires around the country.

Because of the complexity of modern communications, they can be overwhelmed in a disaster.  These lessons were tested on Saturday, Oct. 24th as amateur radio operators from Maine’s 16 counties conducted their annual Simulated Emergency Test.

Using emergency powered radios and working with local agencies, the hams established radio communications networks which were used during simulated failure and overload of normal services such as was seen in the days following many types of incidents.  In addition, the ham radio operators provided the ability to communicate between the many government and volunteer agencies which respond to disasters.

What do amateur radio operators do during and after disasters?

Amateur radio operators set up and operate organized communication networks locally for governmental and emergency officials, as well as non-commercial communication for private citizens affected by the disaster. Amateur radio operators are most likely to be active after disasters that damage regular lines of communications due to power outages and destruction of telephone lines.

How do amateur radio operators help local officials?

Many radio amateurs are active as communications volunteers with local public safety organizations. In addition, in some disasters, radio frequencies are not coordinated among relief officials and amateur radio operators step in to coordinate communication when radio towers and other elements in the communications infrastructure are damaged.

What are the major amateur radio emergency organizations?

Amateur radio operators have informal and formal groups to coordinate communication during emergencies. At the local level, hams may participate in local emergency organizations, or organize local “traffic nets” using VHF (very high frequencies) and UHF (ultra-high frequencies). At the state level, hams are often involved with state emergency management operations.

In addition, hams operate at the national level through the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) which is coordinated through the American Radio Relay League and its field volunteers, and through the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) which is coordinated through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In addition, in areas that are prone to severe weather, many hams are involved in Skywarn, operating under the National Weather Service. The Skywarn coordinator for Piscataquis County is David Ramsey of Brownville.

Is amateur radio recognized as a resource by national relief organizations?

Many national organizations have formal agreements with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) and other Amateur Radio groups including:

• Department of Homeland Security – Citizen Corps

• Federal Emergency Management Agency

• National Communications System

• American Red Cross

• Salvation Army

• National Weather Service

• Association of Public Safety Communications Officials

This year hams from around Piscataquis County participated in a major hurricane scenario of a Category 3 hurricane striking Maine along with potential incidents of sabotage of our communications infrastructure which affected the entire state.  Hams in the Piscataquis County area were prepared to respond to this scenario with five hams manning the County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) bunker in Milo.  These hams included four members of the county Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) group including the Emergency Coordinator (EC), George Dean, Assistant EC, Patrick Thomas, and Assistant EC for Safety, Daniel Thomas, and Bob Campbell as well as the county Emergency Management Agency Director, Tomas Capraro, who is also an amateur radio operator.

Simulating operation from the Brownville Town EOC was Debra Kaczowski, with Daniel Thomas simulating operations from the town of Milo EOC. William Welsh in Sebec relayed messages to the state ARES Coordinator, Phil Duggan in Millbridge using over the air digital technology.  Jacob King manned a VHF station at C.A. Dean Hospital to be prepared to send and receive medical related messages from the Greenville area.

Manning VHF radios in the Brownville area were Kathy Smith and Brownville EMA director Terry Knowles.  Manning radios in the Milo area were Ben Kittredge and Don St. Cyr.  During the four hour operation area hams participated sending simulated emergency, health and welfare messages and situation reports and augmented our main ARES “served agency”, Piscataquis County EMA.

When real emergencies like the simulated emergency described above, amateur radio volunteer operators from across the country respond to the calls for aid when needed. Despite cell phones and satellites, every year has seen situations in which they have been called upon in critical situations needing expert communications to keep an emergency from turning into a disaster.  They provide their services and equipment freely to their communities. They are “amateurs” only in that they are not paid, but their service in a crisis can be priceless.

The best way to learn about Amateur Radio is talking to hams face-to-face.   The Piscataquis Amateur Radio Club and the Piscataquis County ARES group meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Milo Town Hall. You can find us on Facebook at “Piscataquis Amateur Radio Club”.

Note that the club will be sponsoring a ham radio licensing class starting in January at Mayo Regional Hospital.  See the Facebook page for details and contact information.

George Dean

Brownville