It today’s overly connected world, the thought of instant communication no being there is unheard of. The harsh reality is that storms, a terrorist attack or even a cyber attack could shut off communications and controls to everything. No cellular. No internet. No lined communications. Are we back to smoke signals? Amateur Radio Field Day is an annual national emergency preparedness exercise and open house for “ham” radio operators. Held every fourth full weekend in June, it challenges thousands of enthusiasts to set up temporary, off-grid stations in public spaces, parks, and campsites to practice making contacts under simulated emergency conditions. In Muskegon, it was held in Montague at the Montague Township Park.
Did my opening tone sound a little more urgent than normal? It should. The idea of emergency communications….it’s been a part of my life for years. How to speak, when to speak. How to deliver the most awful news and maintain a level of decorum. I have been in this long enough to have survived the grueling hours and days of 9/11 coverage and in as much as I couldn’t believe it…the weeks and months of the Covid pandemic. The loss of emergency communications literally scares the ever loving shit out of me, and no, I am not editing that out. A disaster becomes a chaotic disaster if the proper communications are not in place. A very big added issue, that just happened to occur in the same week as this amateur radio exercise? The last live voice on the radio as far as the ‘big cooperate” stations go……was fired on Tuesday June 23rd. There’s no one at the wheel anymore inside your favorite station. It’s EXACTLY what I moved here to fix.
We’ve made it a point to visit with the Muskegon Area Amateur Radio Council for a few years to show you this work and how the club members serve when the call is made. We have also spent some time sharing the fellowship within the club. This time, we’ve gathered Scott King who’s the Emergency Coordinator / Auxcomm Director for Muskegon County Emergency Communication Services, Inc and Renee Gavin who’s the Muskegon County Emergency Manager. Our discussion goes a little deeper this year. The two day event test’s how well communication of all kinds goes on battery, generator and solar power. The tests are sent and received all over the US and Canada and even the world. From their website – “M.C.E.C.S. primary mission is providing communication support in time of local emergencies, disasters, Severe Weather events, and the Muskegon County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team. We also provide communication support to nonprofit organizations for activities such as walkathons, bicycle races, and other charitable events.”
Scott offers a great amount of detail on how the service of the MCECS works with our municipal organizations to assure communications and Renee stresses how vital it is for this long standing public/private partnership to carry on. We are all so very dependent on technology today…..think of modern society in the dary, with no way to know what’s going on. THAT’S why radio is essential. Amateur or commercial.
If you’ve been following this series annually…guess what? I just submitted for MY amateur radio license this morning. Hard to believe my 50KW license from 1989 don’t qualify for a 2w handheld, but hey…..I am not the government. 🙂
To learn more about MCCES CLICK HERE. The Muskegon Amateur Radio Co
uncil CLICK HERE or on their logos below.
