E

E is for...Emergency Communications!

This is one of the most useful aspects of ham radio.

I am part of both the Oakland County Amateur Radio Public Service Corp (ARPSC) and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).

ARES is basically that we registered with both our skills & equipment to be available when  a disaster strikes.  Remember little occasions like Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin tornado?  Hams were there.

The hubby and I both are trained SkyWarn weather spotters and do various events with both the county and the National Weather Service.  Most of the time we do simple, but necessary tasks like be on site for the monthly test of the outdoor warning sirens to report in that it did or did not sound.  Because it would really suck if there was a tornado and the siren didn't alert the area!  But there have also already been 2 SkyWarn activations so far this year, where we were alerted and in contact with the NWS in case of funnel clouds, tornadoes, high winds or hail.  Which there were!

 This is my car's get-up.  

Ignore the silver box - that's my XM.  

The badges are my ARPSC and ARES cards that I wear when needed.

 This is what the hubby has in his car.  

He does a lot more non-emergency events than I do, so he's got 2 radios of different types. 

 This is my personal hand-held.

 This look is called "Ham-Sexy".

This was taken at the Brooksie Way Half-Marathon 2 years ago.  We were posted along the marathon route to call in when the first and last runners passed by and if anyone needed medical attention.

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