Current communications by local governments is not designed to handle much more that "normal" business traffic. Believe me when problems are insurmountable, local police, fire, ambulance are easily overwhelmed. I live near the Gulf Coast and have listened to the chaos. Small cities do not have the money to invest in multi-redundant systems.
If you truly believe in your statement that your local city backup emergency communications is reliable then spend some time to research it. You state that "I'd rather it be planned". I think you would be surprised how many Emergency Operation Centers keep HAM Radio as an option (last resort backup) because they know how bad it truly can be when their systems fall apart.
I am not advocating that HAM radio is to be used in every emergency event. Various forms of communication are efficient and are able to perform the task to which they were designed for during emergencies. Where HAM radio comes into play is when all else fails.
The below are examples when existing systems did not meet the requirements.
To add "anecdotal evidence", easily found with a little research. Below is just a fraction.
Hams Aid Columbia Debris Search in Western States http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/02/2 6/2/?nc= 1
Hams help handle 911 outage: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/08/ 01/3/#Ham s
Amateurs Respond to Southwestern Fires http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/25 /2/?nc= 1
Ham Radio Aids Rescue on the High Seas http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/03/21/ 6/
Hams Respond to El Salvador Earthquake http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/ 01/15/1/
Indian Hams Assist in Quake's Wake http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/01/26/ 3/
Appalachian hams assist in rescue effort: http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/09/ 05/100/#a ppalachian
Ricky to the Rescue! "ham recently used ham radio to help save the life of an injured " http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/1999/10/04/2/
Some of the articles pertain to aiding existing authorities. The aid is generally welcome to supplement their shortfall.
Finally, HAM radio is available to the general public. Yes you need a license but it is available. Unlicensed radio operations available to the public are FRS and CB. I think that many people really do not understand HAM radio and its significance.
Slashdot Mirror
akb
2 6/2/?nc= 1
/ 01/3/#Ham s
5 /2/?nc= 1
/ 6/
/ 01/15/1/
/ 3/
/ 05/100/#a ppalachian
Current communications by local governments is not designed to handle much more that "normal" business traffic. Believe me when problems are insurmountable, local police, fire, ambulance are easily overwhelmed. I live near the Gulf Coast and have listened to the chaos. Small cities do not have the money to invest in multi-redundant systems.
If you truly believe in your statement that your local city backup emergency communications is reliable then spend some time to research it. You state that "I'd rather it be planned". I think you would be surprised how many Emergency Operation Centers keep HAM Radio as an option (last resort backup) because they know how bad it truly can be when their systems fall apart.
I am not advocating that HAM radio is to be used in every emergency event. Various forms of communication are efficient and are able to perform the task to which they were designed for during emergencies. Where HAM radio comes into play is when all else fails.
The below are examples when existing systems did not meet the requirements.
To add "anecdotal evidence", easily found with a little research. Below is just a fraction.
Hams Aid Columbia Debris Search in Western States
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/02/
Hams help handle 911 outage:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/08
Amateurs Respond to Southwestern Fires
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/06/2
Ham Radio Aids Rescue on the High Seas
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/03/21
Hams Respond to El Salvador Earthquake
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001
Indian Hams Assist in Quake's Wake
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/01/26
Appalachian hams assist in rescue effort:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/09
Ricky to the Rescue! "ham recently used ham radio to help save the life of an injured "
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/1999/10/04/2/
Some of the articles pertain to aiding existing authorities. The aid is generally welcome to supplement their shortfall.
Finally, HAM radio is available to the general public. Yes you need a license but it is available. Unlicensed radio operations available to the public are FRS and CB. I think that many people really do not understand HAM radio and its significance.
Sincerely,
John - AJ5TT