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 19.15 DATE: April 14, 2019
SUBJECT: HAVE A BACKUP PLAN
Emergency Communicators are needed for backup when other forms of communications fail. But what happens if and when the backup communications fails. Do you have a plan for that?
The reason we use our communications when we participate in runs, walks, and races is to practice, and make sure we can provide backup communications when all else fails. When there's a problem that comes up with the backup communications, there needs to be a way to correct it.
During a non-emergency event such as a walk, run, or race, other forms of communications may be available, and may be used. If the regular telephone or cellphone are still working, you may be able to use them. But, to use them you may need to get phone numbers before the event starts. Some numbers you may already know and have, but how about the phone numbers of helpers that are first time helpers, or people you don't call very often, and if you do, it may be their home land line telephone number, and they are not at home.
Before an event starts, obtain cellphone numbers or another way to contact others in the group. In today’s world you may be able to contact them on their cellphone or send them a text message. You might think about having a second radio on another frequency, far enough away from the first one, that won't get interference from the main system. But it must be turned on. Just having it won't help, if it's turned off.
As emergency communicators our job is to come up with solutions even when it's our own communications that fail.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV