Danville Ham Operators Help The Red Cross
February 16, 05 by Iroquois County Amateur Radio ClubBy: Brian Huchel
DANVILLE — Area residents easily remember the storm and straight-line winds that plowed across Vermilion County on July 13.
That day offers a perfect example of the importance of amateur radio operators, according to local ham radio operator Harry Seyfert.
“The cell phone system was pretty much gone,” he said. “That’s when we could come to play and provide the services necessary.”
The Vermilion County chapter of the American Red Cross recently realized that importance, putting together an assistance agreement during emergencies with the Vermilion County Amateur Radio Association.
Jamie Davis, disaster service coordinator for the local American Red Cross chapter, said such agreements exist in other counties and both sides talked about the setup for a while.
The radio operators’ main function with the Red Cross consists of reunifications or welfare inquiries between families and victims. “If (family members) have an idea they’re all right, that gives them some peace of mind,” Davis said.
The amateur radio association reports about 40 members, with a little more than half still active.
Local Red Cross officials approached club member Dave Leininger in the days following the Dec. 26 tsunami to help a local mother verify the safety of her son who was in Thailand.
“Anything they need, we’re willing to do,” he said.
Under the agreement between both sides, radio operators either come to the chapter office, 320 N. Franklin St., to help or travel to a particular scene, such as an area damaged by a tornado, to offer assistance.
But according to Red Cross Executive Director Carolyn Schwabauer, the radio operators could even report from their neighborhoods in times of crisis.
“They could give us a good read very quickly,” she said, noting that association members live throughout the county.
Leininger said the organization hopes to work out an agreement with the new director of the Danville/Vermilion County Emergency Management Agency. City and county officials expect to hire a new director for the agency in
the coming weeks.
Since the agreement, many of the amateur radio operators also joined the Red Cross as volunteers.
Every October the association members have situational emergency tests to stay sharp in case an emergency arises.
“We need to hone our own skills under adverse conditions,” Seyfert said.
