TO: ALL ARES OPERATORS IN DISTRICT 3
(OFFICIAL)
ALL AMATEURS IN WEST VIRGINIA
(INFORMATION)
FROM: WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED AND WOOD
COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICES (ARES)
ARES DISTRICT 3 BULLETIN NR 07.38
DATE: September 23, 2007
SUBJECT: GRAB THE BULL BY THE HORNS
Are you prepared to be a leader? "That's not my job", "It's
not my responsibly", "I'm not allowed to do that", and such statements
should never be spoken when it comes to Emergency Communications and
loss of primary communications. Our society has become too reliant
on the telephone, that when it's broke, we don't know what to do.
The first thing to think of is the services it provides and what could
happen. Some primary services the telephone provides is the
calling for help if there's a Fire, a Health problem, or Wreck. We
are not accustom to picking up the telephone and not having Dial Tone,
but it does happen, what should you do? Try to figure if it's just
your telephone, the whole neighborhood, or is it wide spread, and the
whole city or county is without telephone service. Think of what
could be happening and what you can do to help. If you don't have
any idea how long the problem will last you should start thinking of how
to provide back-up communications. You should have people report
to key locations such as Fire Departments, Ambulance Stations, and 911
Centers. If you have enough radio operators, spread them around
the affected area to be in a place that people can come to, to report a
problem. But, the one thing you NEVER DO is says that "It's not my
responsibly". You can make Amateur Radio a shining light, if you
just grab the bull by the horns and do something.
This bulletin was inspired by the loss of all telephone service in
Ripley, West Virginia, January 22, 2000 (reprint of ARES Zone 3 Bulletin
NR 00.04)
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Assistant Section Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator