Amateur Radio operators aided the American Red Cross after a magnitude 6.5
earthquake struck California's Central Coast region Monday, December 22.
Amateurs in San Luis Obispo County provided radio links between shelters
and the Red Cross San Luis Obispo Chapter office. Santa Barbara Section
Manager Robert Griffin, K6YR, said the San Luis Obispo County Office of
Emergency Services requested the assistance of the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) teams.
Griffin said San Luis Obispo ARES/RACES operators helped staff the county
emergency operations center and backed-up communication for the Red Cross
after cell phone service proved unreliable.
"About 24 operators were involved," Griffin said. "By 10 PM Monday night,
the primary American Red Cross communication resources were again
reliable, and the ARES net secured." Griffin says a few operators
continued communications support at the EOC.
Griffin said the American Red Cross quickly established three shelters for
quake victims--one in hard-hit Paso Robles, another in Morro Bay and a
third in the southern part of the county. Hams staffed shelters to
maintain contact with the Red Cross chapter office. Two people died in
Paso Robles, some 25 miles from the epicenter.
Force 12 President Tom Schiller, N6BT, reports the antenna
manufacturer--located in Paso Robles--suffered "minimal damage" from the
December 22 quake.
"Most of it was confined to the front office, with ceiling tiles falling
down, books and computers being tossed around," Schiller said in an update
on the company's Web site. "Those who had a view out the front glass doors
watched the cars and trucks in the street leave the ground as the shock
waves rolled through." He said the quake took out electric power,
telephone and cell service within less than a minute, although the power
returned and telephones became sporadically operative within a few hours.
Schiller reports his own house--about a mile away--was "trashed," although
his towers and the plumbing and electrical systems survived. Standing
outside while checking the house, Schiller said he noticed that there was
no wildlife at all. "No birds, no deer, no dogs barking. Not even a
breeze," he said. "Thankfully, we made it through."
Info Provided by:
The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League
73
Jeff
CDX 339
RadioActive
</p>
earthquake struck California's Central Coast region Monday, December 22.
Amateurs in San Luis Obispo County provided radio links between shelters
and the Red Cross San Luis Obispo Chapter office. Santa Barbara Section
Manager Robert Griffin, K6YR, said the San Luis Obispo County Office of
Emergency Services requested the assistance of the Amateur Radio Emergency
Service (ARES)/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) teams.
Griffin said San Luis Obispo ARES/RACES operators helped staff the county
emergency operations center and backed-up communication for the Red Cross
after cell phone service proved unreliable.
"About 24 operators were involved," Griffin said. "By 10 PM Monday night,
the primary American Red Cross communication resources were again
reliable, and the ARES net secured." Griffin says a few operators
continued communications support at the EOC.
Griffin said the American Red Cross quickly established three shelters for
quake victims--one in hard-hit Paso Robles, another in Morro Bay and a
third in the southern part of the county. Hams staffed shelters to
maintain contact with the Red Cross chapter office. Two people died in
Paso Robles, some 25 miles from the epicenter.
Force 12 President Tom Schiller, N6BT, reports the antenna
manufacturer--located in Paso Robles--suffered "minimal damage" from the
December 22 quake.
"Most of it was confined to the front office, with ceiling tiles falling
down, books and computers being tossed around," Schiller said in an update
on the company's Web site. "Those who had a view out the front glass doors
watched the cars and trucks in the street leave the ground as the shock
waves rolled through." He said the quake took out electric power,
telephone and cell service within less than a minute, although the power
returned and telephones became sporadically operative within a few hours.
Schiller reports his own house--about a mile away--was "trashed," although
his towers and the plumbing and electrical systems survived. Standing
outside while checking the house, Schiller said he noticed that there was
no wildlife at all. "No birds, no deer, no dogs barking. Not even a
breeze," he said. "Thankfully, we made it through."
Info Provided by:
The ARRL Letter and The American Radio Relay League
73
Jeff
CDX 339
RadioActive