If China declares war, these ham radio enthusiasts could be crucial
TAIPEI, Taiwan — On Tuesday nights, BX2AN sits near the Xindian River, motionless but for his thumb and middle finger, rhythmically tapping against two small metal paddles. They emit a sound each time his hand makes contact — from the right, a dit, or dot; from the left, a dah, or dash, the building blocks of the Morse code alphabet.
“Is anyone there?” he taps.
The replies come back in fits and starts: from Japan, then Greece, then Bulgaria. Each time, BX2AN, as he is known on the radio waves, jots down a series of numbers and letters: call signs, names, dates, locations. Then he adjusts a black round knob on his transceiver box, its screens glowing yellow in the dark.
Wearing yellow emergency vests, the operators, aka hams, joined the crowds of attendees to provide general information, give directions, and be the eyes and ears on the street for the county’s mobile command unit. The teams were also able to provide specific festival information, as well as assisting family members to find each other.
For an event as big as Apple Scrapple, these feet on the street allow first responders and event staff to concentrate on other tasks. Using their radios, multiple volunteers can exchange information and quickly coordinate an incident response.
BUCKHANNON (Texas) – When catastrophe strikes – think flash flooding or a devastating fire on Main Street – communities across the U.S., and especially rural communities like Upshur County, count on local volunteers to step in until enough professional first responders arrive.
To that end, the Upshur County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is working to revive the county’s Community Emergency Response Team, a nationally supported program that teaches local volunteers how to prepare themselves, their families and neighbors for hazards that could impact their community.
Right now, Upshur DHSEM Director Steve Wykoff and Upshur DHSEM Deputy Director Derek Long are recruiting residents who want to be trained in disaster preparedness skills so they can respond when needed. So, whether you’ve heard of CERT before or not, here’s five things to know about what it is and how it works.
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