Dear Editor,
With the recent publicity about International Field Day and the role played by the Amateur Radio Service as represented by our local amateur radio club, I thought I would take the opportunity, as a Board member at large for the Comox Valley Amateur Radio Club and the Vice Chair of the newly launched DisasterNet BC Society, to let people in the Comox Valley in on all the work that has been and is still being done to ensure that, should the worst happen and a major disaster strikes, critical communications will be maintained.
Club members step forward as officially recognized Comox Valley Emergency Radio Communications Volunteers in the Comox Valley to plan and practice for a grid-down, mass communications loss situation in order to support local government in maintaining critical communications with the Province and with mutual aid partners in adjacent jurisdictions when our heavily infrastructure-dependent communications systems fail, as they often do in major disasters. You may have seen their green and white front bumper plates on their cars and trucks around town.
Since the inception of radio, it has been the tradition that amateur (Ham) radio operators make themselves available in disasters to provide that service to their community. However, as time has gone on and the demands and responsibilities for providing such services in a controlled and effective manner have escalated, an increasing number of jurisdictions are moving to a dedicated and vetted corps of volunteer radio operators officially affiliated with and dedicated to their local government鈥檚 emergency planning organization. Such is the case here in the Comox Valley. Many members of club volunteer for this group as well as other interested amateur radio operators. But membership in the Comox Valley Emergency Radio Communication Team (CVERCT) is a separate commitment. The club fully supports CVERCT. In turn, the Emergency Management Service has supported the club in its efforts by cooperating on such activities as licensing courses for new 鈥淗ams鈥� and supporting International Field Day.
But perhaps the most significant development in this field in B.C. to date is the recent launch of the DisasterNet BC Society. DisasterNet BC is a non-governmental, non-profit society created by experienced emergency radio communications professionals. Its purpose is to foster the creation of and technical support for a Province-wide disaster communications system of last resort. Based on licensed 鈥渃ommercial鈥� HF (shortwave) radio frequencies, it relies on no intermediate infrastructure, using military-grade Barrett radios, that can even be operated anywhere using any common automotive battery if worse came to worst.
It may interest people to know that the Comox Valley Emergency Management Service is the very first and founding member of DisasterNet BC, with the Strathcona Regional District (six stations currently being implemented) and qathet Regional District coming on board right behind us. Invitations to join DisasterNet BC have been extended to all Regional Districts in the Province as well as to the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and we expect the network to grow quickly.
For more information on DisasterNet BC, visit:
Scott Goodman
