There are more than 725,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the United States.
(TNS) - When wildfires, floods, tornadoes and terrorist events disrupt cellphone communication systems at the moment they are most needed, that’s when a more than 100-year-old technology still holds its own.Amateur radio operators, often called “ham radio operators” regularly volunteer their skills and expertise to coordinate responses in emergencies like the Boston Marathon bombing and when Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.There are more than 725,000 licensed amateur radio operators in the United States. Those that were providing support for the 2013 Boston Marathon became a key communication link when cellphone systems became overloaded after bombs exploded near the finish line killing three and injuring hundreds.
Here in New Mexico, radio hams play a vital role in battles against wildfires, said Ed James, section manager for the Amateur Radio Relay League, the state branch of the national association for amateur radio.His group has 1,400 members. Many of them volunteer with the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), groups of trained radio operators who work with county emergency management organizations, local hospitals, the Red Cross or local sheriff’s departments.Local ARES groups provided communications support during the 2016 Dog Head fire that ravaged areas of the Manzano Mountains and the massive 2011 Las Conchas fire near Los Alamos.
