Emergency testing set in Crowley

With the evolution of different forms of communication that have been created over the last two decades (cell phones, internet, etc.), one may find it odd to learn that the most effective means of reaching out for emergency services following a disaster is the same one that was used during the World Wars I and II.
Ham radio operators (amateur radios users) are mostly hobbyists these days but following disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the Joplin, Missouri, tornado in 2011, ham radios were the first form of communication available.
In recent years, groups such as ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) have recognized how important their equipment can be in such emergencies.
And they have been preparing accordingly across the country, including the Acadiana area.
“Our motto is ‘when all else fails’,” said Tom Dischler, an ARES member who also works as city president of State Bank and Trust Company in Eunice. “Following Katrina and the Joplin tornado, we were the first form of communication available to those areas.”
This Saturday, ham operators from the group ARES from Acadia, St. Landry, Vermilion, St. Martin and St. Mary parishes will be gathering at the Acadia Parish Courthouse to test their devices for just such an emergency.
“We use a different scenario, such as a hurricane or a fire, each time when we gather for these simulated emergency tests,” said Dischler. “What we will be using on Saturday is the simulated failure of an electrical grid. We sill have ham operators from several different parishes checking in with us as well as a group from California.”
While, of course, the ham radios of today are more effective than they were during the World Wars due to advances in technology, what makes them more effective than cell phones or e-mails is the same science that they have always employed — the use of radio waves.
“We are actually bouncing our waves off of the atmosphere,” said Dischler. “We have the high frequency (HF) signals that can be sent around the world or the very high frequency signals (VHF) that we use for contacting people nearby. We will be using VHF when we contact Abbeville, Lafayette or one of the other sites we will be testing from.”
In addition to waves, ham operators have access to amateur radio satellites, some using a hand-held transceiver, even, at times, using the factory antenna. Hams also use the moon, and other celestial bodies and the ionized trails of meteors as reflectors of radio waves. Hams can also contact the International Space Station because many astronauts and cosmonauts are licensed as amateur radio operators.
While most ham users today operate on a much smaller scale, the importance of their devices during times of crisis is becoming increasingly evident. Acadia Parish Director of Emergency Management Lee Hebert has one in his office.
“One of the benefits of the ham operators is that they are mobile,” said Hebert. “They can move their devices out of an area to reach out for help in times of emergency.”
So what some people may see as an outdated communication system can actually be used to save lives in the aftermath of a disaster. And thankfully ham operators such as Dischler have realized that the antique-looking systems that most of them simply use for fun, could be the only link between area residents and the outside world should a disaster occur.
Dischler is obviously looking forward to this weekend’s test.
“We are looking forward to showcasing what we can do,” he said.