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 Coordinato