In a Report and Order (R&O) released Wednesday, July 14, the FCC amended Part 97.113 to allow amateurs to participate without an FCC waiver in government-sponsored disaster preparedness drills on behalf of their employers participating in the exercise. The FCC also has amended the rules to allow employees to participate in non-government drills and exercises up to one hour per week and up to two 72-hour periods during the year.

Read more: FCC Modifies Amateur Rules to Allow Participation in Disaster and Emergency Drills on Behalf of an Employer without a Waiver

On April 17, the Murray County (Minnesota) Amateur Radio Club was on hand for the Honor Flight 5K Run/Walk, which was held in Slayton. There were approximately 150 runners/walkers for the event to help raise money for World War II veterans to fly to Washington, DC to visit the WWII Memorial.

Murray County Amateur Radio Club members helped with the safety of participants and traffic control at intersections along the race route. There were six operators covering the 5K race route with one operator (an EMT) riding with EMS in case anyone was in need of assistance while running the race.

The Murray County Wellness Committee commented that some of the participants reported that they felt safe during the race. Other participants commented that it was nice to have the radio club at the main intersections on the route stopping the traffic for them. The Murray County Amateur Radio Club has been asked to assist in the future for other 5K Walk/Run races. The Murray County Amateur Radio Club is made up of 30 members from multiple counties in southwest Minnesota and they are active in Amateur Radio throughout the region

. -- Kevin Haney, KC0YKX, Murray County ARES Emergency Coordinator

Bob Rogers, KB4PYP, EC of Davidson County, Tennessee, reports that on the weekend of May 1-2, the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) requested ARES® support, with 23 operators responding. Rogers stated that their "SKYWARN net was in standby for most of the day on Saturday as we watched the approaching storms." The OEM went into full activation and Rogers was called in to the "War Room" at 7 PM where he remained until early Sunday morning, when he had to return home to deal with water seeping into his bedroom. The SKYWARN net remained active until the front passed.

By 5 PM on Monday, a Red Cross shelter at Bellevue Middle School had requested an operator to support communications needs as there was a lack of cell phone service. Two operators established communication systems to support the shelter for emergency medical support. The Cross Point Community Church also requested ARES® assistance with distribution of supplies. Seven ARES® members deployed there.

On Tuesday, May 4, Red Cross requested radio communication support for a relocated disaster headquarters at the abandoned Skyline-Madison campus on Neeleys Bend, where 12 ARES® members participated. Communication was established between Red Cross-Charlotte Road office and the Disaster headquarters. A report was sent to the Cheatham County EMA.

Michael Wright, N4MAW, EC, Wilson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service, responded to the Wilson county, Tennessee, Emergency Management Agency's EOC at 4 AM on Saturday, May 1, upon their request and activation of the EOC Weather Operations Team. Wright brought the EOC's HF station on line and began monitoring the Middle Tennessee Emergency Traffic on 3.980 and 7.232 MHz as well as the local 147.105 MHz repeater and the 443.725 MHz repeater (MTEARS Net). The heavy rains arrived later that afternoon.

At 1:30 PM Wright called for the ARES® net to be convened in an informal mode to begin taking reports on the arriving weather, flooding, road conditions, and to provide updates to the operators monitoring the frequencies. Numerous reports of flooding on local roads as well as I-40 in Wilson County were received.

Dave Bonner, KJ4BLG, was deployed to assess the main ingress/egress routes for Watertown upon the request of Wilson EMA officials. Bonner was able to safely determine that the routes were impassable; Watertown was isolated due to flooding. Bonner also reported that residents were evacuating their homes in Watertown and a shelter was needed. Through his efforts, WEMA officials were able to get the Watertown High School opened up as a shelter for evacuees. Seven radio amateurs in Wilson County checked into the net and provided valuable flooding information to WEMA officials throughout the day.

On Sunday, Tom Parker, KB4SFN, responded to an NWS request, and the ARES® net was again active in support of WEMA and its response to the flooding. Again, numerous reports of flooded roads and isolated subdivisions were received and passed onto WEMA officials. The Watertown Fire and Police repeaters went down and ARES® ops received the report and notified WEMA, Wilson County 911, and the Middle Tennessee Electric utility of the situation. ARES® also prepared to send an operator to the Watertown Police and Fire station in order to assist with getting emergency responders en route to any emergency should the repeaters not come back on line quickly.

Wright also assisted the EOC staff with the receipt of flood reports, shelter information requests, and flood information requests. This included taking non-emergency phone calls and operating their low-band public safety radio when no other personnel were available to do so. These operations lasted until 9 PM Sunday night at which time the ARES® organization secured operations upon full release by WEMA officials. -- Michael Wright, N4MAW, Emergency Coordinator, Wilson County Amateur Radio Emergency Service

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