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 20.03 DATE: January 19, 2020
SUBJECT: THE IMPORTANCE OF HANDHELDS
Handheld radios are the most important tools of Amateur Radio operators who actually perform emergency communications in the field. If we could sit at home and talk in person to the incident commander or drive the car, truck, or van right to the incident command post, we could eliminate Handheld radios for this function. If we could just take our vehicles thru police lines at a disaster site, we might be able to eliminate Handheld use in this situation also.
Handheld radios may have difficulty hitting a repeater from time to time, this is understandable. As a member of ARES or RACES, we should always carry our Handheld radio with us, at least in our vehicles, at all times. Even if you have a mobile rig in your vehicle, which is great, you still should have the Handheld radio close at hand. You never know when you may come upon an accident that requires you to communicate when you are away from your vehicle. Or, you may have to respond to an incident, and not be allowed to take your vehicle to the incident command post.
So carry that Handheld radio with the other stuff you may need, even if it's in the trunk. It's the most important tool an emergency communicator can have. It could help save a life someday, maybe your own.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV