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 ARES BULLETIN NR 18.44 DATE: November 4, 2018
SUBJECT: THREE DAY RULE
Now that winter is coming soon, are you ready? You've heard several times that during disasters you should be able to support yourself for at least three days. You shouldn't have to go running to the store for something to eat or fix dinner with. It doesn't take much food to survive from three days to a week, so you should have that on hand all the times.
Winter is no different then a disaster. You should have at least a three-day supply of food, water, and warmth on hand at all times. You should also be able to have some kind of backup power to operate your communications equipment, or a least be able to listen to a scanner or a broadcast radio, to see what's going on.
During bad weather if the commercial power goes off, there's a good chance your telephone service will also be affected, both landline and cellular. If you have a handheld two-way radio, you should have a spare charged battery, or a battery pack that will hold dry cell batteries and have a good supply of them.
You should also have a set of cheap Family Radio Service (FRS) radios for a couple of reasons. If you have to leave your house and go out in the weather, but not going very far, you will have a short-range communications to get help from the house if you need it. Another reason is because of your neighbors. If they also have a set of FRS radios, you may be able to communicate with them if the telephone service is interrupted.
If you don't have to go somewhere, it's best that you stay at home and not become a part of the problem, but you may be a part of the solution.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV