ARLA/CLUSTER: Os radioamadores desempenharam um papel vital na recolha de informações durante o Furacão Irma, segundo as equipas de emergencia.

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

During hurricanes, emergency officials turn to ham radio

USA Today reports radio amateurs play a vital role in the gathering of
information during hurricanes like Irma

“We take for granted our communications,” said Etta LoPresti KM4KTN,
emergency management coordinator for Indian River County.

“But when you have something catastrophic like they do in the Keys and
in the west coast of Florida, where you’re not going to have
communication, these amateur radio operators take care of things for
us.”

In Indian River County, Paul Bartoszewicz KC2LXV and Willie Thompson
KB5FKG work 14-hour shifts during Hurricane Irma. They’re part of the
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) — a group of licensed radio
operators who help with communication during storms.

They work in a small room off the main area inside Indian River
County’s Emergency Operation Center.

Bartoszewicz, 66, and Thompson, 61, do hourly calls to fellow amateur
radio operators at each of the shelters in Indian River County.

Read the full story at
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/09/10/during-hurricanes-emergency-officials-turn-ham-radio/651994001/