Subj : Newsline Part 2
To   : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Jan 27 2017 04:43 am

D-STAR BECOMES FIREFIGHTING TOOL

NEIL/ANCHOR: Firefighting and ham radio operation are not a new
combination, but in one Texas community, firefighters are going a step
further. Here's Amateur Radio Newsline's Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

PAUL: Most hams are aware of how ARES and RACES coordinate with local
emergency services to provide communications assistance in the event of
a disaster. The Howard County Volunteer Fire Department in Big Spring,
Texas, took a much more proactive approach. I spoke with Tommy Sullivan,
KG5HRK, department chief about their program:

SULLIVAN: W5AW, the Big Spring Amateur Radio Club has been in existence
in Howard County for twenty to thirty years. Lloyd Duck was the president
of the club, and he approached me about joining in, or helping them to
buy new D-STAR equipment, where they could do D-RATS and all of that, and
then we discussed how the fire department could help them get that, and
how would the fire department benefit. And, after we discussed it, and
really looked at it, and saw that in a major disaster where we lose our
radio tower, and all of that, with this D-STAR and the amateur radio club,
we could still communicate, we could still transmit our ICS forms, could
transmit pictures from the scene to the emergency operations center here
in Howard County, and also to the state operations center in Austin.

PAUL: Sullivan said that the program's been successful so far:

SULLIVAN: Out of fifty firefighters, I've got twelve now that are
licensed amateur radio operators to help supplement the fire department
with the amateur radio and vice-versa, because everybody succeeds better
when we all work together. I didn't want to wait until the disaster, and
try to figure out another backup plan. I want to go into it, where we
already have this in place, and everything operational, plan for the worst
and hope for the best.

PAUL: Sullivan is hoping their program will serve as a model, since he
feels this is a very important idea:

SULLIVAN: Maybe other fire departments will take our lead. We don't have
a chance of failing this - we've got to succeed the first time. If we
walk into it and go, "Hey - our system's impenetrable, and infallible"
then we're thinking in the wrong direction.

PAUL: And yes, Sullivan was talking to me from an active fire scene,
although one that his crew had under control.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Paul Braun, WD9GCO.

**

HAM AND EGGS, BUT MOSTLY HAMS

NEIL/ANCHOR: We radio operators love to chew the rag but there's nothing
like chewing on a waffle or some flapjacks in the company of friends - as
we hear from Amateur Radio Newsline's Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

MIKE'S REPORT: The Willits Amateur Radio Society, W6MMM, has enjoyed
1,250 days of ham for breakfast. That's right, the Willits, California
club, founded in 1992, considers itself one of the more social clubs out
there. So, when they gathered on Saturday, January 14, for the latest in
a long series of breakfasts, eggs, pancakes, sausage, and coffee, were on
the agenda. The club has more than 50 members, and its constitution states
that the group's objective is to promote interest in fellowship and fun in
amateur radio, and to further the cooperation between Mendocino County
amateur radio operators. Members take part in health care drills too,
testing radios throughout the county, and responding when the Offices of
Emergency Services needs help getting messages through during storms and
other events.

Of course, there are also those breakfasts at a place called Lumberjack's
Restaurant, right there in Willits. As the club notes on its Facebook
page, you don't need to be a ham to join the group, and share some ham and
eggs.

For Amateur Radio Newsline, I'm Mike Askins, KE5CXP.

(WILLITS AMATEUR RADIO SOCIETY)


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