MYNORTHWEST NEWS

Ham radio operators remain key link in Seattle’s disaster preparedness

Jun 24, 2015, 8:16 PM | Updated: Jun 25, 2015, 9:17 am

Dozens of amateur or Ham radio operators will gather Saturday in Seattle for an annual disaster pre...

Dozens of amateur or Ham radio operators will gather Saturday in Seattle for an annual disaster preparedness drill. (Photo courtesy Mark Sheppard/Seattle Department of Emergency Management)

(Photo courtesy Mark Sheppard/Seattle Department of Emergency Management)

If, or when, a big earthquake hits our area, what happens if our cell phones and modern communications go down?

It turns out emergency managers would rely on a volunteer network of amateur or ham radio operators to keep critical communications connected.

It might seem like an old-school way to keep in touch when we have all this technology. But it remains a critical link, said Barb Graff, the director of the Seattle Office of Emergency Management.

“We study disasters for a living and in all those lessons, especially the ones that cripple communications because of overload or damage, it’s amateur radio operators that are the last line of defense,” she said.

A network of volunteers across the city – and across the world – continues to operate despite the ubiquity of cell phones and the Internet.

Some use handheld radios, others are outfitted with more sophisticated base stations and antennas in their yard or on their roof, according to Mark Sheppard, a veteran emergency planner and Communications Unit Leader for the Office of Emergency Management.

“These folks have know-how, they have their own radio equipment, they’ve constructed their own hilltop repeater systems that will work and are durable &#8212 because they have backup power &#8212 after a major event,” Sheppard said.

The ham radios of today feature modern technology that do far more than just allow people to talk &#8212 they can also transmit data, emails, and other information.

“They can get detailed lists of medicines and supplies that can go through much more quickly than if you have to narrate them by voice,” Sheppard said.

The region’s system will be put to the test this weekend at South Seattle College, when dozens gather as part of the national Amateur Radio Field Day exercise.

They’ll practice far more than just communications.

“The other big part is the logistics, being able to set up a 40-by-40-foot tent, have trailers, gasoline generators,” Sheppard said.

It might seen a bit sketchy to rely on a network of volunteer enthusiasts whose hobby harkens back to a bygone era. But Sheppard said local amateur radio groups continue to flourish, regularly attracting new, younger members in large part because it combines technology, meteorology, and other sciences. Many come from Microsoft, Amazon, and other tech companies.

And Graff regularly pushes people and communities to get involved with amateur radio to help bolster what could be the last, but critical line of communications.

“It is reliable, it is affordable, and it is necessary,” Graff said.

You can buy a good handheld radio for a couple of hundred dollars, or spend a little more on a base station and antenna that can help connect your neighborhood in the event of a disaster.

For more information about Field Day and the organization, contact Seattle ACS.

MyNorthwest News

Image: Brightly colored eggs are set on a table on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington,...

Ted Buehner

Expect good Easter weekend weather for egg hunts, chilly evening Mariners games

Both Saturday and Sunday of Easter weekend will feature temperatures warming to around 60 degrees across much of Western Washington.

12 hours ago

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 20...

Micki Gamez, KIRO Newsradio and Bill Kaczaraba, MyNorthwest

Seattle tourism dollars break records following All-Star Week, Taylor Swift

It was a record-setting year for dollars flowing into Seattle from tourists.

13 hours ago

Image: A bridge in Carnation....

Julia Dallas

Carnation frustrated with Seattle again after 8th false emergency alarm induces widespread panic

Carnation citizens have faced a series of panic-inducing alarms after SPU's system for the Tolt Dam falsely sounded eight times.

14 hours ago

Grocery store shopper...

Bill Kaczaraba

Ways to deal with Seattle grocery store sticker shock

Seattle grocery store sticker shock continues to play havoc on locals, but there are ways to counter high prices.

14 hours ago

belltown hellcat social media...

Frank Sumrall

Infamous ‘Belltown Hellcat’ social media influencer charged with reckless driving

The social media influencer has been accused of driving 107 miles per hour through Belltown in a Dodge Hellcat.

16 hours ago

KIRO Newsradio gracie awards...

MyNorthwest Staff

KIRO Newsradio anchors receive Gracie Awards for outstanding work

Heather Bosch and Lisa Brooks, anchors at KIRO Newsradio, have been honored by the Alliance for Women in Media with prestigious Gracie Awards.

18 hours ago

Ham radio operators remain key link in Seattle’s disaster preparedness