Wrightwood's Earthquake Exercise on Nov 15th

[Chuck]

Just wanted to say the Mr. "Wrightwood" conducted a great orderly exercise today.  The nets each Sunday have proven to teach, give experience, give confidence to all that participate.  Without order there would be chaos.  Keeping usage to licensed operators keeps order.

Wrightwood is very fortunate to have so many dedicated people who care, give their time, and are forward thinking.  Having a system that works is extremely important.  I'm proud to be part of the communications group.  I encourage all to step forward and prepare yourself so you can take care of your issues, and help others.   

Anyone can knock on my door also when they need help.     

[Goldie]

I received my refrigerator magnet today.  Thanks everyone!

[Wrightwood]

Thanks Goldie as the Fire Safe Council went to a lot of effort to produce an emergency reference magnet with the most accurate and current information available. Every phone number was called and verified for accuracy just prior to printing. The numbers listed for the most part are 24x7 phone numbers, and  get you to dispatch.

The CERT crews have done an incredible job on delivering 25% of the residence today. Tomorrow they will deliver another 25% and on Saturday the balance of the 50%. Every household in Wrightwood will be cover for a total of about 2,800.

We've been getting phone calls and emails requesting magnets from weekenders concerned they wouldn't get one 

[ForestGal]

I didn't get my magnet/door package today, but I did get a magnet about 3 weeks ago when I attended the Fire Safe Council meeting for October.  That is a great place to learn a lot of very valuable information.     The magnet has been in a prominent place on my fridge since then.

I thought that this morning's exercise was very valuable and informative.  As a new ham, I was monitoring on my ham radio, not the 1610 one, and it was fascinating.  John, you were very efficient as net control for the exercise, thanks!  Saturday will be a wonderful learning experience for all of us. 

[ChrisLynnet]

I got my magnet yesterday and it is on my fridge. Thank you for all the incredible work you all are doing!

[tiltronix]

Those who did not get their "doorhangers," Thursday, may be among those destined to receive them on their door knobs Friday or Saturday!

[desert5150]

At the risk of offending the sensibilities of some amateur radio operators, and based on a 30 year association with same (KL7FBI, on beautiful Shemya Island, Akaska, and now re-licensed as WI6SLD), I have to throw my two cents in regarding the non-licensed use of a radio:

While it is true that non-licensed use is illegal, there is the legal concept of "In Extremis" which dictates that when in a life and death situation, virtually anything goes.  Reference: gaares.org/documents/Amateur%20Radio%20usage%20by%20non-Hams.pdf

The rationale is that if a life is threatened, one can use whatever means necessary to summon help, or to provide assistance.  The example in the attached link is a good example. 

More pertinent would be a scenario such as this:

John Doe, with no amateur radio license, drives down Highway 2 and spots a car over the side.  He runs over to the car to render aid, and finds a licensed amateur radio operator unconscious in the vehicle, and bleeding profusely. 

Doe's cell phone has no signal, but he sees a nice dual-band amateur radio in the victim's car.  He keys the mike and starts asking for help... 

Illegal?  On paper, yes. 

Will John Doe be prosecuted?  Not likely. 

Should he feel bad because he "broke the law"? Not even.

When I was stationed in Thailand (7th Radio Research Field Station) I learned a story about one of the queens in the old kingdom who fell overboard off of a barge.  She couldn't swim, and it was strictly illegal to touch a member of the royal family, so the boat crew and others watched her drown...

Of the many amateur radio operators I have known over the years, I have always detected a prevelence of operating only in strict black and white, concrete thinking paradigms. 

While that is important if you're following schematics while building a radio, it can be an impediment when real life situations arise that dictate thinking out of the box.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is you do what you have to do in an emergency, and worry about the fallout later. 

I think it's a disservice to tell people on this site that if there's an emergency, and they have the chance to summon help on an amateur radio, that they should not do so unless they're licensed. 

[Bob C]

I think it's a disservice to tell people on this site that if there's an emergency, and they have the chance to summon help on an amateur radio, that they should not do so unless they're licensed. 

Immediate life/death situation, like you described? Yah, I understand that completely.

By the same token, we certainly don't want to give people the impression that they should just buy a radio "that I'll just use in case of emergency", and not worry about training (and yeah, ok, licensing).

[SpeedRacer]

No door hangers or magnets here.

[makgirl]

No door hangers or magnets here.

You should have one by now, I believe, since the drill is over.  PM your address to me and I will follow up with your division leader to see what the story is.

[MtnMan]

I know they ran out near the end of the day. I am a member and didn't get one at my house. All in all good day to work out the kinks in the system.

[Wrightwood]

We did not run out. Some divisions may have not calculated how many they needed and were short.

If anyone needs a magnet, come by the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council meeting next next Tuesday night and we'll have some there. If you don't make the WFSC meeting then send me a P/M  and I'll make arrangements for you to get one.

[ForestGal]

My opinion, for what it's worth, is you do what you have to do in an emergency, and worry about the fallout later. 

I think it's a disservice to tell people on this site that if there's an emergency, and they have the chance to summon help on an amateur radio, that they should not do so unless they're licensed. 

Desert5150, I totally agree with you on the concept of emergencies, but I wish to include this thought on the matter.  I'm a new ham, about 3-1/2 months old in "ham age".    And I will have to admit that until I took the class in July, passed the exam in late July, and got my ham license at the beginning of August, that I had absolutely NO knowledge of what to even do with a radio.  I'm sure that I'm not the only one on the planet who is as extremely challenged as I am, electronically and mechanically.  There is no way, that prior to this, that I could have even looked at someone's radio and even would have known how to turn it on, let alone talk on it.  I still only know how to talk on my own HT, with very limited knowledge, and I don't think I could figure out someone's radio if I came across your scenario, if it were built into the car.  I doubt if I'm the only one.  And I'm not a stupid person, just not electronically inclined. 

Dang, this whole thing is really making me more aware of my own need to take my HT with me when I'm out and about.  My brain still isn't programmed to remember to take it.  And I definitely need to get myself more prepared for real emergencies.   

[desert5150]

Don't misunderstand.  I know that unlicensed use is illegal.  My point is simply that in a life and death emergency, anything goes.  The though of unlicensed people using amateur freqs on a regular basis is as scary as having a bunch of yahoos using CB radio... Oh, wait.  Too late on that one.

Anyway, if anyone sees me about to go room temperature, please feel free to use my radio, or gun, or whatever will keep me going.  Thank you in advance.

[kew]

Some years back (long before cell phones) I had a need to use a CHP radio to report that the officer had been involved in an accident and was unconscious. I think we can all agree that a citizen using a LEO's radio is a no-no, but when the responding officers (all 26 units of them) arrived, NO ONE asked me why I used the radio to call for help.

[Wrightwood]

Thanks Ken for sharing the story. Common sense dictates what we need to do to save another person's life 

[Scout]

WOW!   I love my magnet!  Amazing how you clever folks fit all the pertinent info on there. Thank you! Thank you! Thank You!

[Wrightwood]

It will take a while to assemble all the numbers. Here's a few preliminary numbers:

Over 100 CERT members showed up after the simulated 7.8 earthquake.

Over 500 phone call were answered at the phone bank.

Over 1,350 community members checked in.

2,800 houses were visited by CERT members.

Not one dollar of county, state or federal money was spent on this disaster exercise. It was paid for entirely by Wrightwood volunteer groups.

Here's a few shots for yesterday's Exercise.

[Cherokee_Kid]

Nice photos. Would have been nicer to see some CERT folks on DFR, Desert Front Road is part of the Wrightwood community too although we are often treated like the red headed step child...

No soup for you today.

[Wrightwood]

The WGGDE planning staff did discuss Desert Front Road homes during the planning process and felt it was outside the scope of this first functional exercise.

One problem is not having correct mapping of the area due to all the dirt roads and that is critical for the planning process. There is currently an effort being made by SBCFD Station 101 to have the areas like DFR and Horse Canyon roads properly mapped and underway.

The community volunteer groups WDPT, WCERT, WFSC & WCG have made a great deal of progress in the past few years and still have plenty of work in front of them. Residents living in areas like DFR need to become more active with our community groups in order to help the process.

I know for a fact that divisions/branches are being considered for Desert Front Road, Horse Canyon, Table Mountain and Jackson Lake areas.