On Thu, 1 Sep 2005 19:05:26 -0500 "Paul T. Rubin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >You are correct that the Red Cross does not have Amateur Radio >operators at its shelters at this time.
The actual situation on the ground here in Baton Rouge is a bit more fluid. Baton Rouge area hams have turned out to staff Red Cross shelters in the city and neighbor parishes. Though wire lines and cell towers are intact except in islolated pockets, the sheer volume of traffic has rendered land line and cell telephone service spotty at times. Our club treasurer, K5VMI, used his dual band mobile to set up a cross band repeater in his car parked next to the large shelter at the River Center so that handi's inside the building could access the repeater being used from the local RC chapter HQ to the other area shelters. BTW guys, don't believe everything you see on cable news channels about Baton Rouge. Aside from suddenly becoming a much more populous city, we're carrying on pretty well and calmly. Schools are out the remainder of the week, including LSU, but expect to resume after Labor Day. The Runnels School, where my wife, WD5CMA, is band director, actually repoened yesterday (Wed). They are already making plans to take in as many students as they can that have been displaced from points south. Gasoline is a bit tough to obtain quickly, and the lines at the fast food drive throughs are something to behold. But much of the power has been restored, most phone service is working, and heck, even the cable TV is up and running for a lot of us - not sure that's a good thing :^)) A linked repeater system is allowing the state EOC to have a backup channel to the outlying parishes north of Lake Ponchartrain. In fact I monitored an exchange where the ham link was needed to allow a parish EOC official to make contact with the "help desk" for the satellite phone system, which was malfunctioning at the time. They managed to relay the proper "reboot" procedure to the field to get the sat phone operational again. Guys and gals, its a trying time here, but we're gonna get through it. As I write this I can hear the helicopters overhead on their way to and from LSU's Bernie Morre track stadium where folks with severe medical needs are being brought to a triage center and special needs shelter in the Pete Maravich Center and Carl Maddox Field House. There are always little anecdotes that can lift the spirits at a time like this... The Ascension parish schools opened their cafeteria kitchens to prepare food for the folks at shelters. I overheard a report on the RC repeater that the lunchroom ladies had gotten together and scrounged up the ingredients to make rice and gumbo for several hundred. Where else but in Louisiana could you land in a Red Cross shelter and get served homemade cajun gumbo? Sorry for the ramble folks, but had to let you know that lots of good people are doing lots of good work, hams included. Send us all the help you can. Support your local Red Cross, especially if your state neighbors ours or Mississippi, and whenever you can ask the OM Upstairs to hold us in His hands. 73 Jim N5IB _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [email protected] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
