Author: Darrell Davis KT4WX

PINELLAS COUNTY ARES AND ACS HOST RECORD SETTING SKYWARN CLASS

Private Citizens, ham radio operators and CERT team members gathered last Tuesday night at the new Pinellas County EOC for a SKYWARN training class. The class was hosted by the Pinellas County ACS/ARES unit, along with their sponsoring agency Pinellas Co. Emergency Management.

The class had 100 attendees, and was taught by Dan Noah, the NOAA Warning coordination meteorologist at the Ruskin, FL national weather service office. The class was welcomed to the new Pinellas County EOC by Emergency Manager Sally Bishop, who said in part, “This effort on the part of our ACS group netted the largest Spotter training class that Ruskin National Weather Service has ever had.  We are grateful for the community service provided by the Spotters as it is a vital piece of the process that takes place between the Weather Service and Emergency Management to ensure the community is warned and as ready as possible for weather events.”

Clayton Parrott, KJ4RUS, Pinellas County ARES/ACS Radio Officer and Emergency Coordinator said, “We are helping our citizens become more aware of weather related events such as Tornados, Lightning, and now the threat of El Nino by providing them the tools such as this SKYWARN training. In doing this we help those to be better prepared for severe weather related events in their communities”

Thanks to Kevin Poorman KV4CT, ARRL Public Information Officer, for the information and photos for this press release.

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POLK COUNTY ARES EMERGENCY COORDINATOR RETIRES, NEW EMERGENCY COORDINATOR APPOINTED.

Robin Retzloff AF1RE will be retiring as Emergency Coordinator for Polk County ARES on December 31, 2015.  Retzloff served five years as Emergency Coordinator for Polk County ARES.  Mike Green AG4LT, Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Shelter Operations, will succeed Retzloff as the new Emergency Coordinator effective on January 1, 2016.  Green has been a licensed radio amateur for several years, has extensive experience in public service as a Polk County Deputy Sheriff, a Polk County Volunteer Firefighter, and is also currently a volunteer for the American Red Cross Polk County Chapter.

Robin Retzloff AF1RE

Mike Green AG4LT

The ARRL West Central Florida Section would like to thank Robin for his five years of service to Polk County ARES and the West Central Florida Section and wishes to welcome Mike as the new Emergency Coordinator for Polk County ARES.

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DAVE ROCKWELL W4PXE, RETIRES AS PUBLIC INFORMATION COORDINATOR, NEW SECTION PIC APPOINTED

On January 11, 2016 Dave Rockwell W4PXE, will retire as the West Central Florida Section Public Information Coordinator (PIC).  West Central Florida Section Manager Darrell Davis KT4WX, has appointed Ken Treffinger K4RSQ, to assume the responsibilities of the ARRL Public Information Coordinator position. Ken is an ARRL Public Information Officer (PIO) and has gained previous public relations experience from his years of public service.  Dave and Ken have already begun working together in order to create a smooth transition in January. The ARRL West Central Florida Section wishes to recognize Dave for his years of service to the Section, and thank him for serving as the Public Information Coordinator.

Dave Rockwell W4PXE

Ken Treffinger K4RSQ

Rockwell will continue service with his other ARRL station appointments as an ARRL Net Manager for the Eagle Net, the NTS traffic net for the West Central Florida Section, an ARRL Official Relay Station, and an ARRL Technical Specialist.

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THE WCF PRESSER ISSUE #12 DECEMBER 2015 IS NOW PUBLISHED

The WCF PRESSER Issue #12 for December 2015 has just been published here on the Section website, the ARRL website, and to the ARRL Section Email List for those who are ARRL members and are signed up for Section/Division news.

For the PDF version of this newsletter and past issues go to http://arrlwcf.org/home/the-wcf-section-presser-arrl-west-central-florida-section-news/  Starting with this issue, the PDF version will contain any associated media (pictures, sound, video, etc.)

The following are headlines from Issue #12 of THE WCF PRESSER:

• ARRL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION CONVENTION TO BE HELD AT THE 40TH ANNUAL TAMPA BAY HAMFEST:
• 2016 ARRL NATIONAL CONVENTION COMING TO ORLANDO HAMCATION THIS HAMFEST SEASON.
• 2ND ANNUAL WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA SECTION TECHNICAL CONFERENCE – HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EOC:
• ARRL NATIONAL PARKS ON THE AIR COMING TO A NATIONAL PARK NEAR YOU.
• UPCOMING HAMFESTS IN THE SECTION:
• THE 2015 HURRICANE SEASON IS HISTORY. PREPARE FOR THE WINTER STORM SEASON:
• CHECK OUT THE SECTION WEBSITE – http://www.arrlwcf.org:
• THE SECTION ARES AND INFORMATION NET COMPILING AN NCS ROSTER:
• AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT OF 2015 COMPANION BILL (S 1685) PASSED BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE. UP TO 114 COSPONSORS OF THE HOUSE BILL (HR-1301):
• HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER:
• SECTION TRAFFIC MANAGERS REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2015 By Doug Williams N2DW – Section Traffic Manager:
• SECTION ARES REPORT FOR OCTOBER 2015 By Randy Payne K4EZM – Assistant Section Manager:
• HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL. REMEMBER WHAT IS IMPORTANT:
• SECTION MANAGERS CONTACT INFORMATION AND CONCLUSION:

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