Hams Assist in Disaster Relief
Hams Assist in Disaster Relief
Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club members provided radio communications during disaster relief, for several days after the June 13th storm , which included tornadic activity. Extensive damage was done in a swath southeast of Brainerd, including destruction of houses and farms.
Hams worked with the Brainerd office of the Red Cross, which coordinated volunteer efforts and activities of involved agencies, such as the Salvation Army, the Sheriff's Office, and the National Guard. Volunteers and groups came from the local community, from the Twin Cities, and from other areas to help with cleanup and other relief efforts.
Hams rode in the Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV), providing its only means of communication. The ERV delivered meals to volunteers and storm victims. Hams also assisted in the field to obtain needed supplies, and provided communication for the Red Cross office in town and for the Volunteer Coordination Center near the disaster site. Both the 147.03 MHz and the 145.13 MHz BAARC repeaters were used during relief efforts.
Hams who participated were Alan AAØAS and Jon KBØMNM, both of whom are also Red Cross volunteers, and Ken KAØJSW, John WØJGY, John KØJO, George KCØBH, John W3MQD, Skee KCØDCY, and Orcy WØQT.
 Alan AAØAS and Peg Senarighi, Brainerd Red Cross Chapter Manager, review detailed maps of the disaster areas, while John W3MQD monitors for radio traffic. |
 Text and photo by Orcy WØQT |
Cellular
service spotty: Brainerd Amateur Radio Operators assist Red Cross
After work on June 14th, 2001
Amateur Radio Operator KBØMNM (Jon Livingston)
was a little bit surprised to hear from Tanya at the Northern Lakes Area
American Red Cross office in Brainerd, Minnesota. The message was simple:
"Please call out your friends in the amateur radio community and
help us communicate. The cellular
phones seem to be flakey and we need good communications." Jon asked Tanya how many people would need these communications and
for how long. The answer was
approximately 4 people until cellular service would be properly restored
(through the weekend). A tornado of
magnitude F2 had ripped through areas southeast and east of Brainerd on June
13th, and power lines were down. The
cellular phone service systems (which had lost A.C. power) were nearly out of
batteries.
On the main Brainerd repeater
at mealtime, Jon could only contact
and get a commitment from KØJO (John Oehlenschlager). Jon was relieved to
find that he had not misplaced a telephone
list from September of 1998. The
list contained the names, street and e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of
other Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club operators. He also realized that it was fortunate that the wired
telephone service in his area was working so that he could call the other
operators. He suceeded in getting
telephone commitments from hams KCØDCY (Julius Mass),
KIØFW (Terry May), and KAØJSW (Ken
Maglouglin). Later, on the way to
the Red Cross office, he talked to WØJGY (John Luce) and KCØBH (George
Swanson).
At the chapter office, the
Emergency Response Vehicle (ERV) was being loaded with food, cleaning supplies,
comfort supplies, and donated candles. Jon
asked Tanya where he might set-up one radio station in the chapter office (which
was in the basement of an office on a hill). Thankfully, the small window faced
toward the 147.03+ Mhz. repeater. Jon
gave Tanya a list of radio operators and was invited to join her and others in
the ERV. He barely had a chance to
say hello to the other hams as they arrived with their radios.
Chapter manager Peg Senarighi was also happy to see the list of volunteers
and then the arriving group. Though
very busy on the telephone, Peg was
left to greet the hams and explain the situation.
Note that the Red Cross E.R.V. is equipped with an internal radio, which
is licensed for the use of "Red
Cross Volunteers". It is
essentially useless unless another radio on the same single frequency is
employed. Jon relayed
position information and occasionally helped knock on doors to let victims know
about the free supplies and meals as the evening wore on.
Excess food was taken to the National Guard Armory for distribution to
Army and National Guard troops- (some of whom had not eaten since noon, and the
time was near 23:30). Without Amateur Radio communications, the E.R.V. would
have stopped in at the chapter office first- and the food might have been
discarded.
Jon had previously asked for
June 15th afternoon off work. After
lunch, Tanya asked him to act as the volunteer coordinator at the Crow Wing
County Sheriff's Mobile Command Center. At the command center, Pat Eyestone
explained that Jon would be matching volunteers and their offers of assistance
to the victims and their needs. Sheriff's deputies polled the victims- most
needed help with clearing trees, general
cleanup, and requested boxes to move their possessions into dry locations
(numerous roofing problems due to downed trees ).
Amateur radio operator KCØBH (George Swanson) picked up boxes ( donated
by local grocery stores) and delivered them with assistance from a non-ham. WØQT
(Orcena Lyle) joined in as
On Saturday June 16th
Jon noted that the amateur radio operators from Wilmar were keying the
Brainerd 147.03+ repeater (tropospheric ducting conditions were good).
He encouraged local hams to try the 145.13 repeater or a simplex
frequency which is loosely tied to Red Cross volunteer amateur radio operators. The
On Sunday, June 17th KBØMNM was
again riding in the E.R.V. and not hearing from any of the local
Jon wishes to thank all of the
people above for their service to the community.
Special thanks also to
Story by Jon KBØMNM
This page was last updated 12/19/2006
Ø