Kentucky Hams Scramble for Tornado Duty

Hams in the Owensboro, Kentucky, area activated the afternoon of January 3 when an F3-level tornado visited town. ARRL Official Relay Station and former Kentucky Section Manager Steve Morgan, W4NHO, says the storm--with winds of approximately 180 MPH--struck Owensboro from the southwest, making a wide swath and hopping its way through the southwest portion of the city. Owensboro is home to past ARRL President George Wilson III, W4OYI. The tornado touched down about three miles from Wilson's house, and he was involved in assisting in the response.

"Owensboro is a mess!" reports Bill Hilyerd, K4LRX, in Henderson in a message to Kentucky SEC Ron Dodson, KA4MAP. "We boys in Western Kentucky are quite busy."

Morgan reports that Amateur Radio operators opened an ARES net on the Owensboro Amateur Radio Club's 2-meter repeater and provided storm tracking information for the next hour or so. Operators were dispatched to the local emergency management office, the Red Cross office, the Kentucky Third District EMS office, the local hospital, and a shelter at a local sports center.

In addition to assisting with EMA/EOC communications, hams also have been involved in post-storm damage assessment. Dodson says additional hams still are needed during daylight hours to assist damage assessment teams. (Area hams may contact Steve Morgan, W4NHO, 270-926-4451 or Bob Spears, AA4RL, 270-926-1693.)

Morgan reports that telephone service--including cellular--was disrupted because of heavy use within the community. "Amateur radio provided valuable links when other services were disrupted," Morgan said.

Amateurs also got in touch with TV stations in Evansville, Indiana, as well as the Evansville Red Cross chapter through hams in that city. Morgan says early notification of the storm's approach via local TV stations and the emergency sirens prevented loss of life during the storm. Although 15 people were injured, only one injury was considered serious, he said.

Morgan says that by week's end, some 8000 residents of the Owensboro area were still without power. Property damage was estimated to be in the millions of dollars. At least 130 homes were destroyed, and 500 to 600 homes suffered major damage. "The community has really pulled together, and repairs are rapidly progressing," he said. "It's impossible to give a blow-by-blow description of all the hams who played a valuable part during this storm."

While the OARC 147.21 MHz repeater managed to stay on the air, Dodson cited reports indicating the repeater was operating at reduced power after apparently suffering some lightning damage. The machine was run off battery power for a while, but Jack Wilson, K4SAC, in Owensboro told Dodson the repeater now is back on commercial power. "We have had a net in session officially or unofficially since Monday afternoon," he said. Two other 2-meter machines were said to have been lost in the tornado.

Overall, more than 40 Owensboro amateurs participated in the tornado response effort, Morgan said.--Steve Morgan, W4NHO; Ron Dodson, KA4MAP

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