Grant Awarded to SC4ARES Group
By Lisa Short Chupity, W6LSC, PIO for SC4ARC/ARES
The SC4ARES group is pleased to announce they are the recipients of a generous grant from Puente de la Costa del Sur Fire Relief Fund to build five (5) mobile emergency communications stations. These stations are self-contained, self-powered and fully equipped to be deployed to central locations of need. They will be housed in a trailer.
This equipment will be used by trained SC4ARES operators to relay relevant information from public agencies, and relay requests for help as needed. When cell phone and internet services are interrupted, ARES operators can use radio pathways (Winlink networks) to send email messages from affected community members to loved ones outside the disaster area.
Winlink is a network of amateur radio authorized government-licensed stations that provides worldwide email using radio pathways where the internet is not present. It supports email with attachments, position reporting, weather and Information bulletins, and is well known for its role in interoperable emergency and disaster relief communications.
Many thanks to Peter Chupity, KI6FAO; Irma Rodriguez Mitton, KM6JVU; Pat O’Coffey, KJ6GMG; and Catherine Peery, KK6UFX for writing this grant with 24 hours notice! Your hard work is not going unnoticed.
