Amateur Radio Operators Play Vital Communication Role During Emergencies:

Volunteers can serve as link between Santa Barbara County Emergency Operation Center and hospitals, and assist first responders: During fires, earthquakes and other emergencies, licensed amateur radio operators provide a vital service to help communities communicate. The Amateur Radio Emergency Services, or ARES, keeps key officials in contact during emergencies when more traditional communication methods may not be available. "It's a way to take your hobby and do something useful for the community," said Lou Dartanner, Santa Barbara County ARES district coordinator who has participated in the organization since the 1980s. "And especially in a disaster or emergency it allows us do some more mundane things that releases the fire personnel or law enforcement personnel to go do more important things." Dartanner said the volunteer organization provides its members with an opportunity to do what they can and like to do. "You spend all this money on this radio equipment, it's nice to be able to go out there and use it to do some good," he said. The ham radio operators are included in the county disaster plan, and during a declared emergency ARES members work out of the Emergency Operations Center, where a complete radio system allows communication between the Public Health Department and hospitals.

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