ARLA/CLUSTER: Os radioamadores podem e salvam vidas no Mundo

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Amateur radio operators could save lives

The Silicon Valley Voice reports on how amateur radio operators could
save lives in an emergency and how you can help

Santa Clara’s amateur radio group doesn’t get a lot of recognition,
but if another major earthquake ever hits the Bay Area, the small
group could be the difference between life and death.

“I consider them to be an extremely valuable asset,” said Lisa
Schoenthal KM6GPP, the City of Santa Clara’s Emergency Services
Coordinator. “During times of catastrophic emergency, [HAM radios]
have been the only mode of communication.”

In April of 2015, an earthquake in Nepal killed nearly 9,000 people
and injured nearly 22,000 more. A year later at a talk in Santa Clara,
Dr. Sanjeeb Panday 9N1SP from Nepal talked to local amateur radio
operators about the vital role HAMs played in mobilizing emergency
services.

The quake knocked out power and internet in much of Nepal. Since
amateur radios run on batteries and do not rely on internet
connectivity, they were still able to communicate after the
earthquake.

Amateur radio also made a difference in Puerto Rico during 2017’s
Hurricane Maria. The hurricane knocked out cell towers. Amateur radios
do not rely on cell towers, so they were a natural choice for
communication following the disaster.

These two emergencies made Santa Clara more aware of how vital HAM
radio operators are to the City’s safety.

“I’m a very strong proponent of having multiple redundancies,” said
Schoenthal. “When it comes to communication, it’s vital that you have
a Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D.”

The problem now facing Santa Clara is a lack of radio operators. Many
of the volunteers on the team have moved out of the City.

“It’s all volunteers,” said Schoenthal. “We really value them. They’re
really important.”

Read the full story at
https://www.svvoice.com/how-amateur-radio-operators-could-save-lives-in-an-emergency-and-how-you-can-help/