It seems we all (by nature) have a quest for knowledge. We have access to 24 hour a day news via several media outlets. These are usually fed via SAT or Cable TV. We need information… We thrive on it… We have to know…
More and more people are now also using Twitter and Facebook as part of their information highway. Locally in Ottawa…. @OttawaPolice and @OttawaFirePIO along with @Ottawacity keep us in the know via Twitter. Most of our local councillors along with most City Managers also are on Twitter so we have the capabilities to be informed if they can get the message out…
That brings me to the reason for this post…
To see what I mean check out:
Now normally our intrastructure as it pertains to communications is pretty durable… Excellent and stable cell service…. Internet strong…. The same could be said for our cable networks so in most cases the message will get out….
But every now and again we seem to get one of those “OH SH!T events“… That could be defined as as Eastern Ontario during the ICE STORM of the late 1990s…. Californina during a couple of the EARTHQUAKES…. The Gulf Coast and the Eastern Seaboard during HURRICANE season…. You get the idea….
We have to train, we have to prepare for that one in a million chance that all does fail…. because that when it does fail…. they (thats the guys who are saying “OH SH!T“) will really be glad to see us and the radio gear getting set up…
With the upcoming Ontario ARES SET (Simulated Emergency Test) on October 13th I just thought I would remind you what we are actually testing for… and why…
Because ” !T ” could fail…
73bob
Tags: amateur radio, Amateur Radio Emergency Services, Being Prepared, Canadian Red Cross, City of Ottawa, Emergency Services, Twitter, When all esle fails
October 9, 2012 at 3:53 pm |
Being prepared is even more important for the rural residents of the City of Ottawa. Living on the fringes of the City we’ve learned to be prepared for just about any calamity. Farmers still have to milk their cows and provide water to the herds, provide for their families etc. Since the ‘Big Icestorm’ they are better prepared. Many large farms have complete diesel/propane fueled gen backups. Farm families and rural residents such as myself make sure we have food, water and fuel storage to get us through week long power outages if need be. Internet out here would go down as it’s mostly wireless – heck it goes down even in heavy rainstorms so it’s still running on a fragile infrastructure. Preparedness is something that’s an ongoing practice out here – we have emergency lighting and cooking facilities, stored potable water, 6 months of seasoned firewood for our two stoves, diesel and gas for our tractor and snowblowers etc. We keep our freezers full and rotate dried and canned food and two months of prescription meds from our druggist. Emergencies can happen at any time of the year but during our winters makes it even more of a challenge. It’s never too late to prepare Bob, thanks for the wake-up call.
October 9, 2012 at 4:08 pm |
Hi Bob…
Thanks for the visit and the comments… Generators for backup power….Firewood for the wood stove…. If I have a problem in the City… I’m coming to your place ….
CU later
73bob