ALL EMCOMM STATIONS

TO: ALL EMCOMM STATIONS
FROM: D W THORNE, K6SOJ, WRRL-1
DATE/TIME: JAN 14, 2010 1940Z
SUBJECT: HAITI DISASTER SPECIAL BULLETIN NR 2

INFORMATION GATHERED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES -- DISSEMINATE AT WILL

ADDITIONAL AMATEUR FREQUENCIES that may be active with EMERGENCY traffic:
3977, 3985, 7265, 7290, 14265, and 14300 kHz.

REMINDERS:
Avoid transmitting within 3 kHz (on either side) of these frequencies except for EMERGENCY or PRIORITY traffic.

Normal protocol for major disasters is NO INBOUND "Health and Welfare" (W) or Routine (R) traffic for a minimum of 72 hours. There are only 143 (est.) licensed amateurs in Haiti. Only one or two stations are known to be QRV. It will probably be much longer before any inbound DWIs (Disaster Welfare Inquiries) can be handled or processed. Even when W or R traffic addressed to Haiti can be accepted, it may be many weeks before relief agencies have information or means to contact survivors and reply.

RECOMMEND: EMCOMM traffic stations my accept message traffic...but advise the originating person/party that it will be held until a means to forward/deliver it can be established. (After Hurricane Katrina there thousand of DWIs that were never delivered.)

SUGGEST: EMCOMM operators advise persons with DWIs to contact U.S. Dept. of State, the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army (they all have websites for this purpose) and follow the instructions provided.
BULLETIN from JAN 13:
All radio amateurs are requested to keep 7045 kHz and 3720 kHz clear
for possible emergency traffic related to the major earthquake in Haiti.

International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) Region II Area C Emergency
Coordinator Arnie Coro, CO2KK, reports that as of 0245 UTC on January
13, nothing had been heard from radio amateurs in Haiti, but that the
above frequencies were being kept active in case any Haitian hams
manage to get on the air, and in case of other related events in
surrounding areas, including aftershocks and a possible tsunami.


NOTE:
7045 is CW only. (RTTY and data is also legal in the U.S.)
3720 is CW and phone (LSB) in U.S. and is limited to advanced and extra class amateurs

Haiti Update

1. The emergency in Haiti: More medication is urgently required Allies of Aktion Deutschland Hilft provide emergency aid Bonn, Germany, 14 January 2010. Extensive aid measures of the member organisations of relief organisation Aktion Deutschland Hilft have begun for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti. World Vision is distributing first-aid kits, clothing, blankets and water bottles. Handicap International is also preparing to distribute food and has strengthened its team with logisticians and physiotherapists. "The poorest of the poor have been affected and the children in particular are suffering from the catastrophe. " It was still school time as the earthquake struck; therefore many children are now searching for their parents. We are caring for these children," reports Harry Donsbach from World Vision, management board of Aktion Deutschland Hilft. The only functional hospital in Port au Prince is the Adventist Hospital of Haiti of the member organisation ADRA. Colleagues from Haiti are reporting that the hospital is completely full and that there is not enough medication. Together with action medeor, HELP is on the way to Haiti with a health kit containing medication. Additionally, a two-person team of the organisation and assessment teams from ASB and the Johanniter are also on the way to determine which assistance is the most urgent in Haiti. A medical team of the Malteser organisation is also on its way and will tend to the supply of emergency medical care for the victims of the earthquake. Today, World Vision is sending out two pilots from the United States with medical aid which contains plastic sheets, tents, blankets, water containers and cooking sets. The medical aid has been able to be sent out quickly as it was actually meant for the forthcoming floods in this geographical area.

2. A Haitian Red Cross official estimated today that 45,000 to 50,000 people perished in the shattering earthquake Tuesday, as President Obama pledged US support of $100 million for what he said is likely to be one of the biggest relief efforts in history. Desperately needed aid began arriving from around the world this morning, the Washington Post reports. An Air China plane carrying a Chinese search-and-rescue team, medics, and tons of food and medicine landed at Port-au-Prince airport before dawn, along with three French planes with aid and a mobile hospital, officials said. A British relief team arrived in neighboring Dominican Republic, the AP reports. Bodies lay everywhere in Port-au-Prince, as survivors, many severely injured, set up camps, salvaging mattresses, plastic chairs, bits of cardboard and food from the rubble. Others streamed on foot into the Haitian countryside, where wooden and cinderblock shacks showed little sign of damage, passing ambulances and UN trucks racing in the opposite direction. "This is much worse than a hurricane," said a doctor's assistant working at a makeshift triage center set up in a hotel parking lot. "There's no water. There's nothing. Thirsty people are going to die."

Haiti Earthquake Nets

Haiti Earthquake: "It's Chaos, I'm Telling You -- It's Real Chaos"
On Tuesday, January 12 at 4:53 PM Haiti time (2153 UTC), a magnitude 7.0 earthquake hit 10 miles (15 kilometers) west of Port-au-Prince, the island nation's capital. Communications in and out of Haiti have been disrupted. The ARRL encourages US amateurs to be aware of the emergency operations on the following frequencies: 7.045 and 3.720 MHz (IARU Region 2 nets), 14.265, 7.265 and 3.977 MHz (SATERN nets), and 14.300 MHz (Intercontinental Assistance and Traffic Net); the International Radio Emergency Support Coalition (IRESC) is also active on EchoLink node 278173.
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