relay that information to the OES emergency operations center.
There, resources are coordinated at the local and regional
level in order to dispense emergency services resources.”
“With MYN, it’s a lot easier to ask for help and to help
others because neighbors already know each other,” Purser said.
“One might be confined to a wheel chair, another might be a
retired fire fighter, someone else might have a ham radio or a
generator, and so on. Residents meet at their pre- designated
gathering spot, split up into teams, and systematically check on
every home in their block to see who needs help.”
“The beauty of the program is that it can apply to any type
of disaster,” Purser added. “Some neighborhoods have even
staged mock disasters and practiced the step-by-step response
together.”
Residents learn the value of keeping a hard hat, sturdy
shoes, gloves and a flashlight under the bed. They learn how
to check for gas leaks and turn off their gas. By mapping
which homes have swimming pools they can help fire fighters
pinpoint extra water resources. Knowing the appropriate flood
evacuation routes, they can head for safety without hindering
first responders. Having supplies and copies of important
documents pre-packed, they can evacuate quickly when
there’s no time to waste.
“The program is growing, especially as people realize they
don’t need special expertise to serve as organizers,” Purser said.
“When an Eagle Scout decided to organize a MYN effort in his
neighborhood, I went with him door to door as he explained
the program. He led a neighborhood meeting, gathered their
information, provided them all with copies of their completed
plan, and then organized a block party to celebrate.”
Along with volunteering for MYN, Purser is also a CERT
graduate who went on to serve as a CERT trainer, and now
trains other trainers. She has also taken training at FEMA’s
National Emergency Management Institute.
“Right now we’re looking to train someone from Gilroy who
is interested in getting a MYN effort started in their neighbor-
hood,” Purser added. “It would be great to have regional
awareness and participation so more people can benefit.”
For information on how you and your neighborhood
can participate, contact Jennifer Ponce at Morgan Hill
OES, [email protected].
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS RESOURCES
Gilroy CERT —
gilroycert.com
Morgan Hill CERT —mhcert.com
FEMA — ready.gov or community.fema.gov/
RED CROSS— redcross.org/prepare
Alert SCC— sccgov.org
Santa Clara County residents can get alert notifications sent
directly to their email, smartphones and landlines. Alerts may
nclude warnings, up-to-the-minute information as an event unfolds,
and post-disasters information about shelters, transportation,
or supplies.
GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN
Be a Ham Radio Operator
Amateur radio (also known as ham radio) has its roots in the
late 1800s. Early proponents knew the importance of having
a network of amateur radio operators to serve the public
long before the battle for bandwidth erupted and the Fed-
eral Communications Commission (FCC) was formed. Today
they provide communications support for everything from
community festivals to disaster response scenarios.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) boasts more
than 700,000 licensed amateur radio operator members in the
U.S. South County is blessed with two local clubs: the Garlic
Valley Amateur Radio Club and the Morgan Hill Amateur Radio
Society. (Woody Salyer runs Emergency Communications.)
According to Heatherly Takeuchi, an amateur radio
volunteer and leader in South Valley, “As ham radio operators
we are granted this very valuable real estate—the right to use
certain bandwidth in the electromagnetic spectrum—free of
charge. We collaborate with groups like CERT and serve the
public, in the event of an emergency, with radios hooked up to
our own wind, solar, or electric power sources.”
Takeuchi heads up license examination services. The
HAM CRAM, an amateur radio operator test prep, exam, and
licensing session, is only $25. It’s offered at different times in
Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and Hollister. The next HAM CRAM will
be held September 23rd in Hollister at the Sheriff’s Department.
As with CERT, ham radio offers advanced training and
service opportunities. Experienced hams are often called in by
first responders to help during emergencies, such as in 2009,
when vandals cut fiber optic cables in San Jose, temporarily
cutting off landline, cell phone, and internet communications
in South County.
Ham radio operators can participate in Incident Control
System (ICS) training. ICS originated from Southern California’s
wildfire response learning and evolved into a statewide and a
federal system that involves different agencies using different
radio frequencies and equipment to coordinate resources rap-
idly in emergencies.
“Listening to post-mortems after a disaster, invariably it’s
communications that presents the challenge,” Takeuchi said.
Operators participating in Radio Auxiliary Communicator
for Emergency Services (RACES) are trained, tested and
certified to help sheriff, police and fire departments in
emergencies. Sometimes they’re called to assist at an incident
command post, talking with field responders to gather
information on a disaster area including head counts and needs
of people being impacted.
Starter radio equipment can be had for less than $100 with
handy talkies and similar gear that lets you talk locally, and
maybe hit a repeater or two. Or, you can invest in a home-
based system with high frequency capabilities to bounce sound
waves off the stratosphere and talk to ham radio operators
around the globe.
Local ham radio operators often tea