Seattle Community Hubs Drill for 'The Big One':

Almost a dozen communications hubs participated in a Seattle city-wide disaster drill Saturday. The exercise was in preparation for a magnitude 9.0 Cascadia Rising Subduction Zone earthquake. In all, 11 communications hubs participated. The city lists a total of 139 emergency hub locations. "You've got people all over the city doing what I'm doing right now with setups that are probably somewhat like this," said Tim Helming, an Auxiliary Communications Services (ACS) volunteer trained in operating ham radio. Helming ran the amateur radio at the Rainier Beach Community Center. "Which gives us point to point communication good for a few miles, but through repeater systems (it reaches) city-wide and even all over Western Washington," he said. The communication would be vital. The city could give notices to the neighborhoods, while the hubs can request or offer hel

from Ham Radio Times http://ift.tt/2uMr8cB
via IFTTT