HURRICANE IAN – SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES
Arc Thames W4CPD, Section Emergency Coordinator – Northern Florida Section, has been designated as the liaison between all three of the ARRL Florida Section ARES programs and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. Thames had the following message for all Florida ARES groups:
MUTUAL AID VOLUNTEERS:
“Tropical Storm Ian has its eye set on somewhere in Florida mid-late next week. At this point, almost the entirety of the state is in the cone of uncertainty. I encourage you to you prepare your homes and families while there is time ahead of the storm. I also encourage all ARES and other communications teams across the state to prepare and test their equipment this weekend since there is so much uncertainty of the path of the storm.
I am actively in contact with the state ESF-2 team and have been asked to prepare volunteers for possible deployment to counties that may not have enough amateur radio volunteers. There are many counties that may end up with a significant need for amateur radio operators to staff shelters and augment local ARES or other communications teams. In preparation for this, if you would be willing to deploy to another county within the state for Ian, please complete this application at this website: https://forms.gle/oeyspzfhPnf9RDdQ6.
It is preferred that you have completed the AUXCOMM course (completion of the AUXCOMM Taskbook is not required) or your ARES Taskbook to level 2. Regardless of your completion of those items, if interested, please fill out the application as soon as possible. Please remember, at no time do we “self-deploy.” Any deployment notices will come either via myself or David Byrum from the State or possibly via your local agencies.
NET CONTROL VOLUNTEERS:
We will also need experienced net control stations that can operate an Emergency HF Net in support of the counties in the impacted areas. If you have a strong station that can transmit and receive well throughout the state, please complete this registration form – https://arrl-nfl.org/emncs/