TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3 EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 16.16 DATE: April 17, 2016
SUBJECT: WHAT IF?
These two words should be used at all times when planning for emergencies. To plan for any emergency you should have an idea what could happen. Here are some examples of how to use the words. Just sit down and come up with something that could happen.
Ask yourself, "What If" the tower that supports the major part of the Public Safety Radio communications in an area was to fall down, or hit by lightening, and the equipment inside made inoperative. A tower in Clarksburg fell a couple of years ago. The climbers on the tower, and a Medical Responder on the ground were killed.
"What If" a car or truck was to hit a utility pole and damaged the cable providing telephone service to a whole section of town. It has happened many times.
"What If" a semi truck was to snag a telephone cable and pulling it down, leaving a section of town without telephone service. It happened on the Ford Dealership on 7th Street, Parkersburg. It was lucky, it just missed the telephone cable going to the 911 Center.
"What If" a Tornado touched down, breaking off a utility pole and breaking the Fiber Optic Cable supplying telephone service to a remote area of the county. This one happened at Dallison, Wood County, in January, 1998).
"What If" the telephone equipment office was destroyed by fire, and it does happen, it happened in New York about 25 years ago.
"What If" all the 911 trunk lines were disabled by some kind of mishap. What could you do to provide back-up and over-load communications, or could you provide a place for the public to report their emergencies until regular service could be restored?
"What If" a train derailed and tore down 500 feet of telephone cable running along the side of the tracks, and took out telephone service to the lower part of the county. It happened in Mason County several years ago.
"What If" any of the above events happened, and there were no back-up or over-load communications?
Ken Harris WA8LLM
District 3 ARES District Emergency Coordinator
WCEC
Wood County WV