The Red Cross says that during a disaster, they actually seek help of radio operators, to help as many people as possible.
The Red Cross says with start of hurricane season on June first, they’re partnering with the amateur radio relay league and the Nittany Amateur Radio Club. The Red Cross says here in Central PA we feel the effects from the weather happening on the east coast.
“Even though we don’t get hurricanes here in Centre County, we get the residue of hurricanes so that can cause all kinds of flooding situations, at which point we need to be responding,“ Chriss Schultz, Disaster Program Manager for the Red Cross Central PA Chapter, said.
Thursday the Nittany Amateur radio club practiced communicating with other radio operators in different states.
Dave Herzog with the Red Cross says communication is vital for them to help people during emergencies.
“The Red Cross and FEMA and other groups and the emergency center in each of the counties need to communicate to deploy resources or to move supplies from point A to point B, they need radio communications of some kind,“ Dave Herzog, Radio Communications Lead for the Red Cross Central PA Chapter, said.
The Red Cross says Hamm radios could be the only way of communication if the weather is bad enough.
“The amateur radio league can help us in times when we have no electricity and no ability to pick up our cell phones,“ Schultz, said.
There are about 20 amateur radio operators and radios with the Nittany Amateur radio club that could communicate in an emergency.
The Nittany Amateur radio club says the salvation army and emergency management agencies also benefit in emergencies from radio operators.
