he activities of some amateur radio operators activity during the California fires was received by email

According to Sacramento Valley Section Emergency Coordinator Greg Kruckewitt, KG6SJT, Butte County Emergency Coordinator Dale Anderson, KK6EVX, reported that radio amateurs deployed on October 9 to a Red Cross shelter in Oroville, set up for VHF to monitor public service frequencies and for Winlink. Shelter status reports were being sent to the California Office of Emergency Services (CAL OES), via Winlink.

Sacramento Valley Section Emergency Coordinator Greg Kruckewitt, KG6SJT, relays shelter status reports viaWinlink.

In Nevada County, radio amateurs deployed to a shelter for evacuees. Nevada County Emergency Coordinator Richard Vizcarra, K6TM, said earlier this week that the need was winding down, but the Red Cross invited those Amateur Radio volunteers to support its efforts. “The Red Cross was very impressed with the communication abilities we demonstrated, and immediately had several ideas of how it could be used to eliminate unnecessary legwork for communication in emergency situations,” Vizcarra said. The shelter team was able to send and receive messages via Winlink on VHF and handled health-and-welfare and other message requests.

Amador County Emergency Coordinator Daniel Edwards, KJ6WYW, reported that the Red Cross requested ARES support at a shelter in Pioneer for Calaveras County residents. Edwards set up a temporary net control station using a 2-meter mobile radio, working through the K6ARC repeater. Contact was made with the Calaveras County CERT Team, and the Red Cross opened a shelter in West Point. Several volunteers stepped up to staff the station until the need for the shelter ended.

Shelter status reports were relayed by voice to Kruckewitt, who sent them on via Winlink to Cal OES.”

 

Bill Pennington / WA6SLA

Chief Com Reserve / State RACES / Administrative Officer

Communications Reserve Unit

California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services