When you least expect it--Your radio CAN help!

Wow, if I only went where there was phone service in this part of the country you would not see many places. I would say a good 80% of this part of Oregon/Idaho doesnt have much for cell service, radio is your only option. Imagine that, you CAN survive without phones.

 

Very true!! Cell phone service is non-existent in many places. I recall an incident a number of years ago now where a couple hikers/bikers (forget which) were stuck somewhere out in the desert, one of them pretty well dehydrated. No cell phone service, but one of them did have a GPS unit and a 2-mtr HT. They were able to contact help thru the PARC repeater.
And where cell phone service is there, you may not get thru to 911 dispatchers for a while. I recall driving our local (San Diego) freeway one afternoon, seeing two little kids, maybe 5-6 years old frolicking in the ice-plant just off the shoulder. Called 911, "We're sorry, all lines are busy..." so grabbed my HT, found a ham right away willing to call the CHP.
Yes, very well done, Dave!! I, too, love to read stories about hams helping folks in distress. Think you went above and beyond with all that back-n-forth trying to get the guy's info to the Propane dealer!
Vy 73...Joe

 

Outstanding........Thats what its all about....


Brian
N5LNL

 

About six years ago, I was notified that my wife had been involved in a serious automobile accident, and had been taken to a hospital in Indianapolis. In raced to Indy, but not being very familiar with the city, soon got lost. It was raining torrents, and I had no idea where I was or how to get to the hospital. Luckily, I had Indy repeaters in my mobile memory, and put out a call for assistance. A gentleman came back to me, I gave him the street intersection I was at, and he guided me to the hospital after a series of turns. Turns out he worked at the hospital! I sent him an email thank you, and will be forever in his debt. Thank goodness for Ham Radio!

 

Glad to hear you could help out but M1WML has a good point. We run into the same situation in the Fire and EMS services. People want seclusion so they build their McMansion three miles back in on a switchback dirt road, and then wonder why can't get a fire truck or ambulance back their unplowed lane. Don't get me wrong, I love my isolation, but be prepared and plan for the worst. As long as you accept the risk and take responsiblity for your decisions, have a ball.

 

Well it's nice that you helped out.

But if it had been me up on the mountain, I probably would have made sure when I got there that I had enough propane in the first place, and if not, got back in my car and drove down to where there was a phone or cell signal and called the propane company myself, rather than making it someone else's problem.

Flame On. Go for it.

 

Thats what I like to hear. Well done, thats what ham radio should be about.
Im glad your not one of the elitist types on ham who may have ignored him!
73s
Axel
M6KIA

 

location was at Shriners camp they are prepaired for many things

 

Location was at Shriners camp , The people who go there have about all the responsibility they can shoulder i would think.

 

Steve i just don't get where you coming from, i went to your QRZ page and you are a distinguished man who has served, and your page is full of great info on how your radio CAN help!
Any way people go check out SGT. Steve's QRZ page it has a lot of good stuff on it

 

Yes i would not be bad off myself in 40 degrees but i dont think he was thinking of himself, Shriners Camp

 

I was going to talk about how, when I was younger, it was nothing to go camping with nothing more than a tarp, and a very good sleeping bag in sub freezing temperatures, or how I survived for a week in International Falls, MN in January in my old Chevy van with just 3 blankets and 3 dogs when my girlfriend said, "It is me or the dogs!" and I told her, "You loose!" and then I read it was a Shriners Camp and not Shriner's Camp and I thought, 'WOW! That would have been tough for a kid!" Good Job.....

Now the father in me is thinking, "If that was my kid, I'd be insanely angry that they were not prepared and had to call for emergency assistance..."

Those who provided help are to be commended. Somebody so ill prepared that they would run out of fuel and not have back up, needs yelled at.......and fired.

 

Thanks Axel

I would never ever let a call for assistance go unanswered, you just don't know the back story to what's going on in the moment. and what does it cost you to pick up the mic. and be of service.

 

Yes that's what started this story that night, the propane company is supposed to keep them toped up at all times, someone failed in that task.

 

OMG!! How did the human race survive in such a dangerous world without telephones for tens of thousands of years??