TO: ALL WEST VIRGINIA ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM WV SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WV ARES BULLETIN NR 10.10 DATE: March 7, 2010
SUBJECT: LEARN PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEMS
You may ask yourself why you would want to learn Public Safety (Fire, Police, Ambulance, Rescue, Etc.) Radio systems, since you are only [an] Amateur Radio operator, and not authorized to operate on those systems?
Because you are Amateur Radio operators you may know more about Emergency Communications then you think. Police, Fire Fighters, EMTs, and Paramedics specialize in their fields, but may not be interested, or have the time to learn all they can about communications, even their own.
It can, and does happen, that while Public Safety Officials are busy thinking about, and doing their primary job, communications is not on the top of their list. They may be too busy with their primary activity, and having communications problems, that they don't realize and don’t know how to correct.
You should make contact, with those Public Safety officials prior to an activity. Introduce yourself and explain what you can do with communications. They may ask for your suggestions when they have a communication problem, and you might just be able to help, even with their communication systems.
So if you learn how Public Safety Radio systems work, you may be able to assist. Just because you are an Amateur Radio operator, doesn't mean that you can't be an Emergency Communicator.
(This bulletin was inspired by Ken Riffle, KB8QPW, during a major structure fire in Parkersburg, March 6, 2010)
Ken Harris WA8LLM
Wood County WV
WV ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
WV ARES District 3 Emergency Coordinator