Amateurs Respond in Deadly Storms' Aftermath
NEWINGTON, CT, May 5, 2003--Amateur Radio operators are assisting relief and recovery efforts in the aftermath of deadly tornadoes and severe weather that struck the US midsection May 4. The storms, which included high winds, heavy rain and large hail, left more than three dozen people dead and wreaked havoc on communities in Missouri, Kansas, Tennessee, Arkansas and other states. Forecasts of severe weather--including additional tornadoes--remain in effect for parts of Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas as well as for extreme southern Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, southeastern Oklahoma and extreme northeastern Texas. The weekend storms disrupted electrical power and telephone service in some areas. Debris also is blocking some roadways.
"Tornado damage was reported in many places across the greater Kansas City area, but early reports indicated the heaviest damage was on the western side of the Missouri-Kansas border," said Missouri ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator Don Moore, KM0R. A tornado that touched down in Leavenworth County remained on the ground for 90 minutes, plowing through Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties in Kansas and Platte and Clay counties in Missouri before lifting off the ground northeast of Kansas City.
"There were multiple nets active in the Kansas City area for more than eight hours on Sunday, relaying storm information to public service officials and then assisting with damage assessment after the storm passed through the area," Moore said. Activated nets included Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and SKYWARN groups in several counties. Hams have been using VHF and HF. The National Weather Service credited ham radio operators with dozens of storm-related reports over the weekend.
"Activity continues today with amateur operators continuing damage assessment duties and assisting the Salvation Army canteens," Moore added. Missouri Gov Bob Holden has declared a state of emergency in Missouri.
Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network Coordinator Pat McPherson, WW9E, reports The Salvation Army has been working around the clock to aid residents, emergency response workers and local authorities to deal with the storm recovery. Salvation Army canteens in Kansas and western Missouri were feeding tornado victims in the Kansas City metro area and surrounding counties in both states.
"The Salvation Army has established a phone bank to assist area residents and is operating a disaster relief warehouse where donated items are being distributed to those in need," McPherson said. "In addition, SATERN members are at each location assisting with communication."
The Salvation Army also is on the scene in Springfield, St Louis and Carthage, Missouri, working with state emergency management officials to provide needed aid. "At least five canteens are helping residents in affected counties in eastern and southern Missouri," McPherson reported.
SATERN's Larry Weaver, N6TW, relayed word from John McCormick, WB5BKY, in Marionville that food was needed in that area. "John was on battery power," he noted. "All power is out in the area." He said seven canteens in operation in Jackson and Clay counties were getting help from 14 hams.
In Southwest Missouri multiple reports were received of tornado damage in Cedar, Christian and Lawrence counties as well as the surrounding area, Moore said, adding that early on, hams were involved in weather spotting and reporting. He said hams in Pierce City--a small town hit hard by a tornado--were using an amateur repeater in nearby Aurora to supplement public safety communication. Major damage was reported to the town of Stockton, but Moore said he was unable to reach the emergency coordinator there. Both Pierce City and Stockton remain without telephone service or electrical power.
"Overall estimates in Southwest Missouri this morning of damages were nearly $35 million," Moore said, adding that he's already received to health-and-welfare information requests and expects H&W traffic to increase in the coming days. "Health-and-welfare inquiries are already being handled by amateur operators in Southwest Missouri," he said. "Traffic is welcome on the Missouri Traffic net at 1745 CDT on 3963 kHz."
In Camden County a tornado caused damage in Camdenton and surrounding outlying areas. Moore said Moniteau County ARES provided a chaplain and two firefighter/EMT-trained personnel who were all Amateur Radio operators. At least three Amateur Radio operators from Miller County also assisted in Camden County the evening of May 4. "Amateurs provided communications for several hours for a shelter that had been set up in a local high school," Moore said.
Now passing through Missouri on his CelebrateLifeRun from Tulsa to Chicago, ham-pianist Martin Berkofsky, KC3RE, attempted to avoid the severe weather and, for the most part, succeeded. "I was incredibly lucky," he reports. "A bad tornado touched down just some 25 miles to the south of where I was running. I only caught a bit of rain and just had to duck into the bushes once to keep dry." He said his May 4 run turned out to be his best so far--14.3 miles for the day. "I arrived at my room in El Dorado Springs just before the big downpour started," Berkofsky said. "Tornado warning sirens were sounding all day in Nevada, where I had stayed the night before."
Tennessee SEC Sheila Tallent, KB4G, reports that Middle Tennessee also took a beating with tornadoes reported. "The amateur involvement is ongoing," she said, but more specific information was not available. According to unofficial reports, up to a dozen people died in Jackson, Tennessee, in west-central Tennessee. "We have escaped the brunt of the storm here in East Tennessee for the moment," she added, "but the severe weather is expected to last throughout the day and into the night."
Details on Amateur Radio tornado relief and recovery operations in other stricken states will be reported as details become available.