Scenario: A major earthquake has hit the San Juan Islands, resulting in a tsunami that pounded shorelines in the Puget Sound region. Power is out throughout much of the region, and radio and cell towers have toppled over. Many roads are impassable, and only military vehicles and helicopters have access to some areas. The Olympic Peninsula is essentially cut off by road. Communications are limited. Local hospitals are already heavily affected by the H1N1 flu virus.
What would you do? How would you tell someone you needed help? How would you help others obtain the help they need?
On Saturday, October 10, 2009, this was the scenario that greeted amateur radio operators in western Washington. The simulated emergency test (abbreviated SET) was held in cities, counties, and hospitals throughout the region, under the auspices of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). During the SET, various complicating factors were injected into the scenario as the test unfolded.
The way this works is the first amateur radio operator (also called a ham) in the community who responds assumes net control duty. It is their job to maintain order on the radio and coordinate the team of radio operators who are responding. I was very lucky to have a local ham who was very capable. I did get called on a few times to serve as temporary net control when other tasks called the primary net control operator away, but it was not too difficult to do since I had such a great example to follow.
The SET lasted about three-and-a-half hours, and during that time, several complications were injected into the scenario. We did a good job, and I learned a great deal about additional skills I need to develop to become a truly useful, effective radio operator in an emergency.
For more information about how amateur radio services families and communities in times of need, visit http://www.emergency-radio.org/.
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