TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 15.40 DATE: October 4, 2015
SUBJECT: IT ALL PAYS THE SAME
Wood County Emergency Communications (WCEC) is dedicated to providing backup and overload communications for public service agencies during emergencies and/or disasters. Because the group was a RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) organization, working under a government agency, providing communications for public service events such as parades, walks, runs, etc.), had to be done in an unofficial manner.
Many years ago WCEC decided to make all licensed Amateur Radio operators in the group automatically registered as ARES, the problem was alleviated. The dual registered RACES operator could now just change hats in mid stream. If the circumstances require that WCEC members not work under the government agency, they don't have to change operators or frequencies. This has made the public service use of Amateur Radio more interesting.
Even being dual registered as RACES/ARES still did not provide the training, or title, needed to assist such groups as the Red Cross during local "Disasters", which included high wind damage, flooding, large fires, etc. Amateur Radio was already providing communications for the local chapter of the American Red Cross, and were in the field telling them about areas that damage had occurred. But, telling them about the area was the only thing we could do, not being qualified by the Red Cross to do "Damage Assessment". The Red Cross could send one of their Damage Assessment volunteers to the areas the Amateurs Radio operators had found, but that could take valuable time.
This is when the thought arose, why can't the RACES/ARES volunteers be trained to make an official assessment? On November 3rd 1992, more than half of the RACES/ARES volunteers became triple registered as RACES/ARES/RED CROSS, Red Cross Damage Assessment anyway. Any assessment reports that were relayed back to the Mid-Ohio Chapter of the American Red Cross became official.
At that time the local Red Cross added additional peoplepower for Damage Assessment. The pay for all three registrations was great, and it all paid the same - PRIDE. The pride was knowing that Amateur Radio was performing public service to our Country and the Community.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV