kf6ila
12-29-2002, 10:55 AM
Guam continues to recover from the super typhoon which hit us on 8 December. #The focus has shifted to recovery, with some 2500 victims being moved out of the red cross shelters back onto their property with tents being provided for temporary shelters. #The schools will be reopening on the 6th of January for classes. #We still have three schools which are too damaged to reopen. These students will be bused to three schools which will open and classes will be held in additional sessions.
Electricity is slowly being restored with about 30 percent of the island with electricity, and 30 percent with water. #The electrical restoration is being held back because of a lack of transformers on the island. #We expect a shipment of transformers this week. #
The field hospitals have now shut down and the medical professionals have now returned home. Our hospitals have been stablized with power and water, and the damage occured has been patched, though final repairs are still months away. #The Reverse-Osmosis water plant set up by the U.S. Army by the boat basin has also shut down and returned to the states, as that the island is now able to provide water from our wells once again.
Of course everyone is wondering how our Ham friends are doing. #As I reported earlier, we are all safe. There was some damage to some homes due to windows being blown in by the wind, however, no homes were destroyed. #Two of our club members even rode out the storm in their boat moored in the harbor, or it was prior to the storm, but that is their tale and I will let them tell it. #Suffice to say that they are okay, though shaken.
Two of our more senior hams were not able to get their antennas down in time. #The younger hams usually take care of them before a typhoon when we have notice, but in this case, the typhoon was being reported as to pass us by over 100 miles up to 12 hours prior to landfall. #So their antennas were still up when the typhoon hit. #Needless to say the antennas and towers were destroyed. #Having talked to these two, they do not know when, if ever, they will be able to replace their antennas. #Our club (Marianas Amateur Radio Club) is already in discussions to install some wire dipoles for HF and some copper J-Poles for 2 meters. #More will come on this after our monthly meeting on January 7th.
The Red Cross, Salvation Army and FEMA are doing an outstanding job here on the island. #Though I hear that the national news outlets are not covering this disaster, we are not being neglected. #If it were up to me, I don't think I would go someplace with the daytime temperature of 87 degrees (nighttime of 79) and the humidity of 95 percent, with no power (air conditioning) or water either, which is why we truly appreciate those from the FEMA, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, the Medical Teams from San Diego and elsewhere, and the U.S. Army for the services they provided. #We also appreciate those which opened up their hearts and provided a "Chistmas Drop" of presents for the children of the island, so that they would still have a Christmas. These came from the United States, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines.
73 and God bless
Duncan KF6ILA/KH2
Electricity is slowly being restored with about 30 percent of the island with electricity, and 30 percent with water. #The electrical restoration is being held back because of a lack of transformers on the island. #We expect a shipment of transformers this week. #
The field hospitals have now shut down and the medical professionals have now returned home. Our hospitals have been stablized with power and water, and the damage occured has been patched, though final repairs are still months away. #The Reverse-Osmosis water plant set up by the U.S. Army by the boat basin has also shut down and returned to the states, as that the island is now able to provide water from our wells once again.
Of course everyone is wondering how our Ham friends are doing. #As I reported earlier, we are all safe. There was some damage to some homes due to windows being blown in by the wind, however, no homes were destroyed. #Two of our club members even rode out the storm in their boat moored in the harbor, or it was prior to the storm, but that is their tale and I will let them tell it. #Suffice to say that they are okay, though shaken.
Two of our more senior hams were not able to get their antennas down in time. #The younger hams usually take care of them before a typhoon when we have notice, but in this case, the typhoon was being reported as to pass us by over 100 miles up to 12 hours prior to landfall. #So their antennas were still up when the typhoon hit. #Needless to say the antennas and towers were destroyed. #Having talked to these two, they do not know when, if ever, they will be able to replace their antennas. #Our club (Marianas Amateur Radio Club) is already in discussions to install some wire dipoles for HF and some copper J-Poles for 2 meters. #More will come on this after our monthly meeting on January 7th.
The Red Cross, Salvation Army and FEMA are doing an outstanding job here on the island. #Though I hear that the national news outlets are not covering this disaster, we are not being neglected. #If it were up to me, I don't think I would go someplace with the daytime temperature of 87 degrees (nighttime of 79) and the humidity of 95 percent, with no power (air conditioning) or water either, which is why we truly appreciate those from the FEMA, the Red Cross, Salvation Army, the Medical Teams from San Diego and elsewhere, and the U.S. Army for the services they provided. #We also appreciate those which opened up their hearts and provided a "Chistmas Drop" of presents for the children of the island, so that they would still have a Christmas. These came from the United States, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines.
73 and God bless
Duncan KF6ILA/KH2