Radio amateurs are valuable resources to their communities in times of crisis. This week, hams in Connecticut were featured in news coverage as they participated in a mass casualty drill with St. Vincent Medical Center in Bridgeport. Several scenarios played out in which amateur radio volunteers helped the hospital connect with other medical facilities, including a targeted cyberattack, mass shooting, and explosions. 

While radio can provide resilience to communities, preparedness for those who would operate the radios begins at home. During National Preparedness Month, ARRL is sharing resources from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on how to be prepared. 

The starting point for building your own resilience is to understand what threats you face in your area. On the website www.Ready.gov, there are tools to learn what disasters are most likely to impact your specific area and how to prepare for them. 

ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, says a plan should be tailored to threats you’re likely to face. “While we should all be ready for anything – there are going to be threats specific to a region. Everyone should be well aware of the events that happen in your area,” he said. 

There is additional information on the FEMA website to learn about region-specific disasters such as hurricanes. Radio amateurs are encouraged to find an ARES group in their area at www.arrl.org/ares.