HJL,
I got this from the ARRL yesterday, I had volunteered but they had filled the list in 12 hours. This shows how devastated the island is. In 75 years the red cross has never asked for this many radio operators.
The following message is from ARRL HQ in Newington, CT.
Yesterday ARRL HQ made a call for volunteers to deploy to Puerto Rico in order to provide disaster relief communications. I do want to thank all of the responding amateurs from the Central Division for their offer of help and aid to support emergency communications for the areas affected by Hurricane Irma and Maria. The request from the American Red Cross for a three week deployment of 50 volunteers reached the goal within 12 hours of the posting of the call. I wish to express to those who are embarking on this important humanitarian mission my note of personal gratitude.
Respectfully Yours,73, Kermit Carlson W9XA
September 25, 2017
Newington CT
For immediate release
Fifty of the nation’s most accomplished Amateur Radio operators haveresponded within 12 hours to the call of the American Red Cross to deploy to Puerto Rico and provide emergency communications. At the behest of Red Cross, ARRL rallied the US Amateur Radio community to provide up twenty-five, two-man teams of highly-qualified hams. The group’s principal mission will be moving health and welfare information from the island back to the US mainland where that data will be entered in Red Cross “Safe & Well” website.
…
”How can you help? In a letter to all ARRL members, President Rick Roderick asked for contributions to ARRL’s Ham Aid fund. President Roderick emphasized, “equipment has been flying out the door since Harvey struck the US mainland. From meeting requirements in aid of Hurricane Irma victims in the US Virgin Island and Florida, our stores of ham aid kits are completely depleted.
”Donate to Ham Aid. ARRL’s Ham Aid program loans Amateur Radio equipment kits to established Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®) groups and partner agencies during disaster response, in order to establish Amateur Radio communications support. Ham Aid is supported by donations from individuals and corporations – including many of our ham radio industry partners. ARRL has previously staged Ham Aid equipment in Texas, and in the last weeks we have supplied kits in Florida, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Our supply of Ham Aid kits has been rapidly depleted. Your donation to Ham Aid will help us,now. Your contributions to Ham Aid are 100% tax deductible.
To make a donation online, go to http://www.arrl.org/arrl-donation-form and select “HamAid” from the ARRL donation form. To donate by mail, print a donation form, and mail it with your check payable to ARRL, noting “Ham Aid”on the memo line of your check; mail to ARRL, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111 USA
- Survivalblog Reader AMC
Maria was at most a Cat 1 or 2 [before it reached any large population centers]. What a joke…pushing the carbon tax meme…
Not sure where you are getting your info. Looking back through Hurrevac, I am seeing 155+ mph (cat 4) sustained winds as the eye was preparing to hit the island. That dropped to 115 mph (cat 3) sustained as the eye left the island. That doesn’t include the winds encountered from the time the leading edge struck until the time the trailing edge left.
I also volunteered but was not selected. My understanding is that they will need more hams to go in replacement of the first group. I’ll wait and go if my number comes up.
I reposted this on my FB page with attribution to survivalblog.com
Since the onset of these disasters, I would like to remind people of the wild fires that hit Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN last fall. Our local rescue squad operates a converted mini-mod ambulance containing radio equipment for InterOp assignments. This was build on personal funds and “any” donations we could scrap together. This unit is available to East TN and is affiliated with Tn Association of Rescue Squads. A simple phone call will get us moving. We have 8 amateurs meaning this unit all are which are extraction, CPR and most EMR certified.
I finally got my AR license in 2003. I got heavy in to RACES, ARES, My local EOC etc. However, I have chucked it all because of the HUGE amount of training I had to endure. I did all the ARRL courses, then they said I had to do 5 ICS training courses on top of that. Then they said they only wanted to use digital communications. That involved a $1000 modem, a computer, printer, etc. This on top of your rig, tuner, antenna, support structure. Emergency food, water, tent etc.
I told them to stuff it and never looked back.
If you haven’t already, you should check out the American Redoubt Radio Operators Network at AMRRON.com
You will never hear a word from the
Fake News Media about ARRL stepping up to the
plate to help.
It’s all about Trump.
Good work,but they are going to need to be rotated out and replaced in a week or two and power/fuel is going to be a real problem 5-10 days in(fuel resupply/generator maintenence-replacement). Have been to these places many times and knew a Cat3+ would devastate but no one in paradise wants to listen or prep,tin foil hats right again but how many times can we save those who won’t save themselves? Lucky Maria didnt follow the path to Florida.
Commenter Ron, The Tennessee State Guard’s 3rd Regiment (East Tennessee) had four Mission Ready Package HF/VHF radio teams available for the Gatlinburg fire, one available less than two hours notice, the other a couple more hours out. But they weren’t requested, and didn’t deploy.