2021-11-06, 17:00:53
In the Caribbean and Gulf Coast and East Coast of the US the big threat is hurricanes or flooding. In the South West and Midwest it's flooding and Tornado's. In the West of Canada and the US it's wild fires and Earthquakes. Here in Ontario, we are somewhat blase about such extreme weather events, but we shouldn't be smug or complacent. The proof of course is as close as videos like the one below.
Extreme weather events are expected to become more common in years to come. What once were rare winter storms may be more frequent and more intense. For those and many other reasons we need to be personally prepared, and prepared as communities, to meet the challenges such events bring with them.
Ham Radio operators can and should be ready and willing to step up in emergencies and support our local communities. We are in fact a community of operators spread out across the province, the country and the globe. When the lights go out, as they most certainly will, we need to be on the air and ready to help where it's needed. This of course requires Planning, Preparing and Practice.
There are many who think of Emergency Communications as ARES. They imagine sitting in an Emergency Operations Centre in support of various Emergency Agencies and Administrators. My view of Emergency Communications begins at the community level. I see it as a means of helping family and friends neighbors in our local community. In that regard it is more than just radio gear, it is a humanitarian mission. It's is locally orientated disaster relief.
We need not wait for some emergency in some distant place like Puerto Rico Nepal, or Haiti. The next big emergency event could be right here. So the question I put to each of you now is, could you survive a Texas style blackout where power could be out for several weeks, even months? Before you blow off this idea as highly unlikely, watch the video. A few days without power is inconvenient. A week without power is much more serious - longer than that in the middle of January would be life threatening to many.
I make one final point. Before you can consider helping others you must first be ready to help yourself. As winter rapidly approaches, consider your readiness for a Quebec or Texas style event. Let us all take seriously the potential dangers of such events. The risks really can't be overstated. Be prepared so you don't become one of the unfortunate group that are unprepared and entirely dependent on others for survival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggqZb8BdXPo
Extreme weather events are expected to become more common in years to come. What once were rare winter storms may be more frequent and more intense. For those and many other reasons we need to be personally prepared, and prepared as communities, to meet the challenges such events bring with them.
Ham Radio operators can and should be ready and willing to step up in emergencies and support our local communities. We are in fact a community of operators spread out across the province, the country and the globe. When the lights go out, as they most certainly will, we need to be on the air and ready to help where it's needed. This of course requires Planning, Preparing and Practice.
There are many who think of Emergency Communications as ARES. They imagine sitting in an Emergency Operations Centre in support of various Emergency Agencies and Administrators. My view of Emergency Communications begins at the community level. I see it as a means of helping family and friends neighbors in our local community. In that regard it is more than just radio gear, it is a humanitarian mission. It's is locally orientated disaster relief.
We need not wait for some emergency in some distant place like Puerto Rico Nepal, or Haiti. The next big emergency event could be right here. So the question I put to each of you now is, could you survive a Texas style blackout where power could be out for several weeks, even months? Before you blow off this idea as highly unlikely, watch the video. A few days without power is inconvenient. A week without power is much more serious - longer than that in the middle of January would be life threatening to many.
I make one final point. Before you can consider helping others you must first be ready to help yourself. As winter rapidly approaches, consider your readiness for a Quebec or Texas style event. Let us all take seriously the potential dangers of such events. The risks really can't be overstated. Be prepared so you don't become one of the unfortunate group that are unprepared and entirely dependent on others for survival.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggqZb8BdXPo