Volunteer
ham radio operators in Ferry County, Washington, were "standing (their)
ground" at the local emergency operations center / evacuation center in
late August despite an ongoing threat from a large wildfire. The ARRL Letter
reported that amateurs working at the shelter in Republic, Washington, were
on the front lines of the battle against the so-called "Kettle
Complex" of three forest fires in the north central part of the state.
Sam
Jenkins, WA7EC, the county's RACES radio officer and ARRL Emergency
Coordinator, said his volunteers expected to be on post for several weeks
despite the ongoing danger. He added that "the firefighters say they are
going to attempt to defend our emergency operations center/emergency shelter at
all costs."
Hams
in other parts of the west were also active in providing communications support
for firefighting efforts in one of the worst wildfire seasons on record.
