EMC138 On Reaching 50! To: Emergency Communications Units - Information Bulletin To: Emergency Management Agencies via Internet and Radio By: Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services EMC138 On Reaching 50! For release 6/29/98 Not years, but events!! Yes, _since_ l980 one unit has responded to over 50 emergency callouts, 80 drills and 30 standby operations. We refer to the HDSCS (Hospital Disaster Support Communi- cations System, a specialty section of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) of Orange County, CA. Founded in l980. They responded to 10 callouts between l980 and l990, and 40 from l990-1997. HDSCS is a group of about 90 Amateur Radio operators who have volunteered to provide backup internal and external communications for critical medical facilities. Some 30 Organizations are supported by HDSCS according to April Moell, the originator and leader of HDSCS. In January 1996, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between HDSCS and Orange County RACES to facilitate communications, cooperation and mutual aid during countywide emergencies. This MOU has proven its worth during numerous drills and the recent Lemon Heights firestorm. HDSCS members providing ARES backup communications for hospitals (all of which are private institutions) can work closely with Orange County RACES members performing backup communications for county government agencies. Those present at the ceremony included: Ted Kramer NB6N and Bruce Gallant WB6DCC (HDSCS Assistant Coordinators), April Moell (HDSCS Coordinator), Walter Wilson N6VYB (Emergency Communications Coordinator for the County of Orange), Ken Bourne W6HK and Joe Selikov KB6EID (Chief Radio Officer and Assistant Chief RO for Orange County RACES). Since that date, Walter Wilson has retired and Ken Bourne has become California OES Deputy Chief ACS Officer - South. With experience both as an Amateur Radio operator and a hospital employee, April Moell found it natural to combine the two in HDSCS. She obtained her FCC Amateur Radio Service license 1976 and now holds an Advanced Class FCC license. As a Registered Occupational Therapist, April served for 17 years as Director of Occupational and Recreational Therapies at St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, CA. While there, she originated HDSCS. She also founded the Rehab Radio program, which used Amateur Radio communications as a therapy tool with patients recovering from stroke, head injury, and spinal cord injury. In addition, she initiated the North Pole Network, which brings joy to hospital patients of all ages at Christmas time. April is presently a consultant working with medical facilities, pharmaceutical companies, and government agencies regarding all forms of backup communications resources. When not consulting, supporting hospitals, or writing about it, she plays her oboe in the Fullerton Symphony Orchestra and teaches Amateur radio classes with husband Joe, who holds FCC license K0OV. In attributing the reasons for the increase in activity between l990-1997, April said, "Clearly the main reason is that we have c become recognized as a reliable emergency communications resource by Orange County Hospitals." And, "We have made a difference. We got that urgent request through for blood. The call was made to notify the doctor his patient was in the emergency room. The radio operator was able to relay the nurse's message to the pharmacy about a needed medication for the baby in the intensive care nursery. It is indeed exciting to have reached fifty." Congratulations to April and to all HDSCS participants. This material is from the a l997 newsletter titled "UPDATE" by April, and HDSCS Web page: http://members.aol.com/emcom4hosp/ --- ACS Web page: http://acs.oes.ca.gov FTP archive: ftp.ucsd.edu/hamradio/packet/tcpip/incoming for new bulletins and ftp.ucsd.edu/hamradio/races for earlier ones. Landline BBS: 916-262-0856 (graphical & standard interface). State Chief ACS Officer Cary Mangum: Cary_Mangum@oes.ca.gov EOM EMC138