Ky6la

"HAM ANTENNAS SAVE LIVES - 2007 & 2003 SAN DIEGO FIRES, KATRINA, TSUNAMI, , 911" Over 80 members from the combined Citizens Emergency Response Teams (CERT) of the City of San Diego and Coronado participate in a real life practice drill at City of San Diego Fire Training Academy. The practice incident was a simulated terrorist bomb attack on a schoo... l bus with victims on the bus, in a nearby liquor store and at a local high school. In the absence of emergency fire and rescue, three CERT Teams were dispatched to provide search, and rescue for the victims. Communications was provide via Ham Radio under the auspices of the Coronado Emergency Radio Operators Inc (CERO) which has long trained as CERT Communicators. Net Control for the Incident Command Post was operated by Howard, KY6LA, Glenn WM6B and Elaine KF6KVF. A simulated Emergency Operations Center was manned by Steve WB6TWL and Ted W6GMQ. Each of the CERT Teams was shadowed by a Ham Communicator including Mike, N6GEM, Dave KF6PRZ and Jim N6RSL. Victoria, KG6LYH, acted as deputy Incident Commander. Hams again provided vital communications links to the outside world as well as providing necessary incident command and control communications. Chief Alan Nowakowski of the Coronado Fire Department and Captain Daniel Saner of the City of San Diego publicly commended CERO for their exemplary communications performance. Both Howard KY6LA and Glenn WM6B were featured prominently on the Evening News on KUSI - Channel 51 and XETV - Fox 6. The Public has always taken Ham Radio for granted and has always assumed with blind faith that during Emergencies, Government Emergency Communications Systems would be more than adequate to service the emergency. Yet, time and time again, when it comes to true emergencies, these Government Systems invariably fail and Ham Radio is always there to help and in many cases, we are the only communications systems that still work.. On September 29, 2004, Dr. Don Compton, KG6NDX and I were invited to address the San Diego County Counsel on the ...Read More