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THE VINCENTIAN. FRIDAY, MAY 11, 2012. 5.
Disaster Management
Rainbow Radio League stages field exercise Op X members involved in training in CPR.
Operating HF/SSB radio from Clare Valley
and EOCs where trained persons will respond by providing the most appropriate means of assisting the affected community(ies), among other things. The RRL directorate in fulfilling its objective of ensuring that all persons involved with DM must be equipped with life saving skills, twinned ‘OP X’ this year with training in CPR and First Aid. Phase 1 of Op X 2012 Operation X adds First Aid (April 28) saw EFRs in training training visiting selected shelters on the eastern The field exercise, side of the island, ending called ‘Operation X (OP at Fancy where First Aid X)’, is designed to train training leading up to a radio operators as certificate was provided by emergency Red Cross trainer Mrs. communications (Emcoms) Vulon Layne/Peterson — first responders (EFR’s). J88NEL, who is also a The field exercise gives Director of the RRL and EFRs in training ample an active ham radio opportunity to set up and operator. dismantle HF/SSB radio One week later, the equipment in quick time, EFRs in training from several designated conducted a similar emergency shelters. exercise, this time along Contact from these the western side of the shelters is maintained island, establishing and with local and regional maintaining contact with radio operators, who, in a several local and regional real situation, will relay stations, as well as among information to agencies the mobile HF/SSB IT IS A COMMON PHRASE in disaster management (DM) circles that ‘failure to plan, is to plan for failure’. Towards ensuring that there ‘is no plan to fail’, the Rainbow Radio League Inc (RRL), spent two consecutive weekends in the field, training its members to enable them to be better prepared for the upcoming hurricane season which officially begins on June 1st.
in the area of transport. According to De Riggs, there is need for two properly fitted land SAR mobiles, and at least three properly equipped ‘go-fast’ boats for maritime SAR, as the Coast Guard service alone cannot adequately handle mass casualty events at sea. He also addressed the importance of having an aeronautical response capability if this country is to deliver island wide service in our multi-island state, especially when road and sea access is not Further needs and thanks possible. This will also During the final debrief position this country to respond to disasters in held at the Richmond neighbouring territories. Campsite, Coordinator of An appeal was made for Op X 2012, Donald De the provision of uniforms Riggs, thanked all EFR’s for RL members as well as for their participation, more radio equipment to having sacrificed two be placed in other weekends to absorb this vulnerable communities. important training, Agencies or persons including communication willing to assist can skills which will be beneficial not only to SVG, contact the RRL at rainbow_radio_league@ya but to the wider region if hoo.com . and when called upon. The RRL Director also made an appeal to corporate society to assist the RRL in delivering an even more reliable service stations. A field base camp was set up at Richmond where radio operators camped overnight. Earlier that day, all EFRs received training in CPR at the Red Cross HQ in Kingstown before taking to the road to field test their high frequency, single side band radios (HF/SSB). These radios are capable of reliably communicating from areas not accessible by VHF or UHF radios.
Op X team with Ezron Thompson (4th from left, back row).
Op X team and curious villagers at Spring Village. Thanks was conveyed to all individuals who assisted in the training, including Mrs. Elna Michael who provided a meal for the EFR’s during Phase 1 of Op X 2012,and Mr. Ezron Thompson of Beachfront Restaurant who part-sponsored meals for Phase 2 of Op X. In recent times, the RRL has provided
communications services for road races (automobile and athletics), the recently held NBC radio fitness walk . The RRL Inc. is a nonprofit, community service organisation with a special emphasis on emergency communications, and was founded in 1995 by Albert Browne — J88CT and Donald De Riggs — J88CD.