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 07.26 DATE: July 1, 2007
SUBJECT: FIELD DAY - WORST CASE SCENARIO
For the past few weeks, Field Day has been the top subject for many people. I classify Field Day as a Worst Case Scenario. During a normal emergency communication activity, there won't be that much equipment setup, like there is on Field Day. Most of the time if Wood County Emergency Communications, or any communications group is involved to help provide additional and back-up communications, that much equipment won't be needed. Five High Frequency radios, five shelters, masses of antennas, generators, and several other pieces of equipment. Only in a very large scale disaster, such as a world war, would that much equipment need to be setup at one location. The purpose of Field Day is to allow us to try as much of our equipment as possible to make sure that it works, and that we know how to set it up, and operate it. Most of the time only a few pieces of the equipment will be used at any activity, but different pieces of equipment may be used by another type of activity. All the equipment should be tested at least one a year, and Field Day is just that time of the year. So if anyone is wondering why we would have about every piece of our equipment at an activity, now you know. If we ever have to have all the equipment in used at Field Day, for an actual emergency, you can bet that everyone is having a problem, and a bad day, and that it's a Worst Case Scenario.
(Reprinted, with modification of, ARES District 3 Bulletin NR 05.27)
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Assistant Section Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator