(Roseau, Dominica.) Waitukubuli Amateur Radio Association declares the month of June as Hurricane Preparedness Month as they prepare for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season.
In an effort to better prepare for the hurricane season, Waitukubuli Amateur Radio Association Inc. (WARA) is spreading awareness among radio amateurs and the general public about the importance of having a personal and family preparedness plan as we enter into a hurricane season which forecasters predict will be above average for both the number and severity of tropical cyclones.
During the month of June, WARA members and the general public are urged to develop or revise their
family plans ensuring that they:
• Make a list of supplies for their hurricane kit, checking to see what they already have and
restock within the next several weeks.• Organize important documents and confirm coverage with their insurance agency.
• Determine if they need to evacuate and make a plan of action with multiple options.
Radio amateurs are not only responsible for the safety and security of their family, they provide an essential service to the country and their communities by providing critical communication services when all normal means of communication fail. This means that in addition to having a family disaster plan, each operator must have a plan of action when called upon to serve his/her community. Amateur radio operators are well known as communicators especially during times of crisis.
A well prepared amateur will be better able to use his/her communication skills during a disaster event. WARA will also use the month of June to prepare its communication infrastructure to survive a category 5 hurricane by ensuring that all their remote radio repeaters are secure with enough solar and battery power to handle long hours of communication during and after an event.
On the last Saturday of June, WARA will hold a simulated emergency test where they will:
• Test the readiness of their members to efficiently respond to a communication emergency
• Test the ability of their members to use multiple means of communication to effectively pass emergency messages from one point to another.
• Prepare their members for operating in real-world emergency communication scenarios.
• Develop a radio and repeater coverage map and assess the association’s communication range.
Information on the Hurricane Preparedness Month can be found on the association’s website athttps://warainc.org/hurricane-preparedness-month/ Waitukubuli Amateur Radio Association, Incorporated (W.A.R.A) is a non profit member organization with a primary purpose of participating in and promoting all aspects of amateur radio.
