eHam.net News

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Ham Radio Still Proves Effective in Emergencies:

Posted: 19 Aug 2016 05:32 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37403


MARTINSBURG -- All hospitals have emergency plans in the event of a
catastrophe, and the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg trains for
emergencies extensively, including how and where to move patients in case
of an off-campus disaster. Plans include mass casualty scenarios,
large-scale operation evacuations, plane crashes and active shooter
scenarios. In order to maintain readiness, several departments come
together. The VA Medical Center's fire and police departments serve
critical roles daily and are ready at any moment. Central command structure
and communications must also be in place. "There's a real-world incident
that occurred about five years ago now, and that was the nursing home
fire," Emergency Manager Todd Lake said. "We actually transported 26 of the
nursing home patients. We admitted 14 of their patients to the VA Medical
Center, both veterans and non-veterans, as well as providing linen, pillows
and blankets to the middle school where they took some of the patients that
were better off, medically." Lake says preparedness means being ready for
any event on the campus, as well as going out where they are needed. "We're
part of the community, too. If there is an emergency in the community, it's
part of our director's responsibility to provide aid to the community in a
large-scale emergency. We've been called out when there have been
multiple-vehicle accidents on Interstate 81. We got called out one time for
one in Maryland," Lake said. "We have dual-use vehicles which are large
buses that are capable of converting to medical evacuation buses." These
processes require communications, and the VA Medical Center has an active
amateur radio operation on campus. The Opequon Radio Society provides
communication systems when others fail.


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Ham Radio Users Tune into Loop Head Lighthouse:

Posted: 19 Aug 2016 05:31 PM PDT
http://www.eham.net/articles/37402


Ham radio enthusiasts will convene at Loop Head Lighthouse in County Clare
this coming weekend to connect with fellow enthusiasts based at hundreds of
lighthouses and lightships around the world. The Limerick Radio Club,
comprising members from Limerick, Clare, Offaly and Tipperary, will
broadcast non-stop for 48 hours from the West Clare Lighthouse on 19-21
August as part of the 19th International Lighthouse / Lightship Weekend
(ILLW). Clare County Council, along and the Commissioners of Irish Lights
(CIL), is facilitating the broadcast from Loop Head Lighthouse while the
Limerick Radio Club has also received approval from the Communications
Regulator. During the broadcast, visitors to the lighthouse will be able to
listen into communications with some of the other participating ham radio
operators broadcasting from 400 other lighthouses and lightships in 50
countries. Last year, Limerick Radio Club members based at Loop Head
Lighthouse successfully connected with fellow enthusiasts as far away as
Hawaii and Australia.