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Michael Coslo · March 21st 07, 05:53 PM posted to rec.radio.amateur.moderated

wrote:

Has amateur radio actually helped handle problems caused
by a disaster DURING an event or have they been relegated
to emotional-support health-welfare messaging AFTER it?

Personal listening experience here.

There was a hurricane that went through South America a year or two
back, on the way toward the US. I listened to an emergency net as a Ham
was helping another who was on a small ship caught in the storm. I
believe it was near Grenada. The ship was having engine problems, the
skipper was inexperienced, and a ham with maritime experience was
"procured" to talk the other guy through saving the boat and passengers.

Listening to the transmissions, I have no doubt that had the
instructions and help been relayed, the skipper and his passengers might
have become statistics.

Those are two different conditions. Communications DURING
an event have direct bearing on life-death situations while
communications afterwards concern survivors, the living.

The emergency is not a finite point. People who are injured during an
emergency can survive or expire during the aftermath. Who can say which
particular communications are critical except in retrospect? Health and
welfare comms are extremely important to those affected. It is important
work, whether involved in dire emergency or the less pressing aftermath.

My question has always been, who is kidding who on all
this "emergency work?" It's a serious question which
always seem to raise the emotional hackles of some.

There is a difference between Amateurs and those who are being paid for
their work. The amateurs are not being paid. Glad handing has sometimes
been called the wages of volunteerism. Perhaps a situation similar to
Volunteer firefighters is at work? Some people have issues with them
also. Yet they fill an important function.

I respectfully have to say that if a ham says something about Amateur
radio contributions to emergency communications, there are some people
who automatically dismiss their statements. Fortunately one does not
have to engage in the activity as a ham. It is completely voluntary.

73 de Mike KB3EIA -