HURRICANE SANDY - The Importance of the Radio Amateur Service in Emergency Communications (FURACÃO SANDY - A Importância do Serviço de Radioamador em Comunicações de Emergência)

AS HURRICANE SANDY approached the Philly region Monday afternoon, the emergency shelter at Cheltenham High School was more than ready to withstand Sandy's best punch.

In addition to 100 cots, three prepared meals a day, a nurse, a mental-health professional and a generator, the shelter also has two volunteer amateur-radio operators working 12-hour shifts to provide emergency communications between the shelter and Montgomery County's Emergency Operations Center in Eagleville and the American Red Cross.

"We basically provide emergency backup communications if all power goes out," said Ed Kenna, a volunteer with the Auxiliary Communications Service, which works with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. "I brought a battery I can operate off  . . .  for 12 hours if we lose power," said Kenna, 54, a database administrator for an advertising agency. If there was a medical emergency at the shelter and all power was lost, Kenna said, he could use the ham radio to get an ambulance dispatched to the shelter.

Lean more Ham radio in use at emergency shelter at Cheltenham High October 30, 2012 - BY MICHAEL HINKELMAN, Daily News Staff Writer

HERKIMER, N.Y. (WKTV) - There were a few extra sets of hands inside the Herkimer County Emergency Management building on Monday night. 

Members from the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service or "RACES" are set up next to the 911 center. The RACES are able to monitor many frequencies, staying ahead of the storm and are on call as back-up communication in case of any power failure in the county.

They are also ready in case the generators fail at local hospitals. 

"We have an emergency radio set up in Little Falls Hospital," said Don Rankins, Chief Radio Officer. "If they have a communications problem there, we can send someone down there and do communications stuff for them throughout the network of hospitals in the area."

They are also able to take all of the information about damage that is coming into the 911 Center and pass it along to the National Weather Service. 

Learn more  Members of Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service lend a hand in Herkimer County By NICOLE PITT - Story Created: Oct 29, 2012 at 5:36 PM EDT