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GREENSBORO – Thousands of Ham Radio operators will be showing off their emergency capabilities the weekend of June 27, 28, and 29.. Over the past year, the news has been full of reports of ham radio operators providing critical communications in emergencies including the California wildfires, Oregon and Michigan storms, tornadoes and other events world-wide. During Hurricane Katrina, Amateur Radio – often called “Ham radio” - was often the ONLY way people could communicate, and hundreds of volunteer “hams” traveled south to save lives and property. When trouble is brewing, ham radio people are often the first to provide critical information and communications. On the weekend of June 28-29, the public will have a chance to meet and talk with these ham radio operators and see for themselves what the Amateur Radio Service is about. Showing the newest digital and satellite capabilities, voice communications and even historical Morse code, hams from across the USA will be holding public demonstrations of emergency communications abilities.

This annual event, called "Field Day" is the climax of the week long "Amateur Radio Week" sponsored by the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio. The activities will officially begin at 2 pm on June 28. Using only emergency power supplies, ham operators will construct emergency stations in parks, shopping malls, schools and back yards around the country. Their slogan, "Ham radio works when other systems don't! " is more than just words to the hams as they prove they can send messages in many forms without the use of phone systems, internet or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis. More than 34,000 amateur radio operators across the country participated in last year's event.

"We hope that people will come and see for themselves, this is not your grandfather's radio anymore," said Allen Pitts of the ARRL. "The communications networks that ham radio people can quickly create have saved many lives in the past months when other systems failed or were overloaded.”

In the Summerfield Community Park, Guilford County operators will be demonstrating Amateur Radio on June 28-29. They invite the public to come and see ham radio’s new capabilities and learn how to get their own FCC radio license before the next disaster strikes. Other organizations will also be on hand including the Moses Cone MASH Unit with communications and the American Red Cross.

There are 650,000 Amateur Radio licensees in the US, and more than 2.5 million around the world. Through the ARRL’s ARES program, ham volunteers provide emergency communications for thousands of state and local emergency response agencies, all for free.

To learn more about Guilford County Amateur Radio Emergency Services see out web site at www.guilfordares.org. For general information about Amateur Radio, go to www.emergency-radio.org. The public is most cordially invited to come, meet and talk with the hams. See what modern Amateur Radio can do. They can even help you get on the air!

Heat Safety Information

HEAT SAFETY RULES TO KEEP IN MIND THIS SUMMER

Here is a great website by the American Red Cross about Heat Safety

The information below has been provided by the National Weather Service....

HERE ARE A FEW SAFETY RULES TO KEEP IN MIND TO HELP MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF HEAT ON THE BODY. WITH DAYS OF REPEATED HEAT IN THE FORECAST THIS
WEEK... BE AWARE THAT THE EFFECTS OF HEAT ARE CUMULATIVE... AND THE THREATS GROW WITH EACH PASSING DAY OF HOT WEATHER.

HEAT STROKE...HEAT STROKE OCCURS WHEN THE BODYS COOLING SYSTEM FAILS... AND THE BODYS CORE TEMPERATURE RISES RAPIDLY. HEAT STROKE VICTIMS WILL CEASE SWEATING... AND THE BODY TEMPERATURE WILL RISE RAPIDLY TO OVER 105 DEGREES. HEAT STROKE REQUIRES IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION AND
COOLING OF THE VICTIM. SYMPTOMS OF A SERIOUS HEAT ILLNESS INCLUDE...CRAMPS... RAPID PULSE... HEAVY SWEATING... HOT RED SKIN...HEADACHE... DIZZINESS... CONFUSION... NAUSEA... AND VOMITING.

TREATMENT OF A HEAT ILLNESS SHOULD INCLUDE GETTING THE VICTIM OUT OF THE HEAT... GIVING THE VICTIM SIPS OF COOL WATER... PLACING COOL WET CLOTHS OR ICE PACKS ON THE VICTIMS BODY...ESPECIALLY AROUND THE NECK AND UNDER THE ARMS...AND SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION.

HEAT SAFETY FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS...IN HOT WEATHER... A CHILDS BODY TEMPERATURE CAN RISE 3 TO 5 TIMES FASTER THAN AN ADULT. PHYSIOLOGICALLY... TODDLERS AND INFANTS...SEEM TO HAVE LESS ABILITY TO REGULATE THEIR OWN BODY TEMPERATURE IN COMPARISON WITH ADULTS. CHILDREN FROM 9 MONTHS TO NEARLY 5 YEARS OF AGE ARE SOMETIMES THE MOST AT RISK. CHILDREN OF ALL AGES ALSO CONTINUE TO EXERT THEMSELVES DESPITE THE HEAT.

TEACHERS... DAYCARE CENTERS AND CAREGIVERS SHOULD MONITOR CHILDREN PLAYING OUTSIDE CLOSELY AND MAY WANT TO CONSIDER CURTAILING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES DURING THE HEAT OF THE DAY.

REMEMBER ONE THIRD OF CHILDREN WHO DIE FROM HEAT BECOME TRAPPED IN A CAR WHILE PLAYING. CHILDREN SHOULD NEVER BE LEFT ALONE IN A VEHICLE... EVEN WITH THE WINDOWS ROLLED DOWN... AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO PLAY IN OR NEAR A VEHICLE.

HEAT SAFETY FOR ATHLETES AND OUTDOOR WORKERS...ATHLETES WHO EXERCISE IN EXCESSIVE HEAT CAN SUFFER FROM EXERTIONAL HEAT STROKE. CONFUSION... DISORIENTATION... AND BELLIGERENCE ARE FREQUENT SYMPTOMS... AND MAY BE FOLLOWED BY COLLAPSE AND LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS.

CERTAIN MEDICATIONS AND DRUGS CAN EXACERBATE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF HEAT AND IMPAIR THE BODYS COOLING MECHANISM. ALSO... DIURETICS CAN DEPLETE BODY FLUIDS AND LEAD TO DEHYDRATION.

HEAT SAFETY FOR THE ELDERLY...MANY ELDERLY PEOPLE HAVE AN IMPAIRED ABILITY TO COOL THE BODY
THROUGH PERSPIRATION.

SOME MEDICATIONS SUCH AS... DRUGS TO TREAT PARKINSONS DISEASE...TRANQUILIZERS... AND OTHER DRUGS THAT INTERFERE WITH BODY TEMPERATURES REGULATION CAN INHIBIT PERSPIRATION AND PRESENT A
DANGER. THIS GREATLY INCREASES THE RISK OF DEVELOPING A HEAT ILLNESS.

THE ELDERLY... ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS... SHOULD SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE IN AIR CONDITIONED LOCATIONS DURING HOT WEATHER.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY SHOULD MAKE SURE THE ELDERLY ARE TAKING PROPER PRECAUTION AND IN AIR CONDITIONED AREAS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.

FOR MORE SAFETY INFORMATION AND FORECAST REGARDING THIS WEEKS HOT WEATHER VISIT THE RALEIGH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/RALEIGH.

EMS Week!

Emergency Medical Services Week brings together local communities and medical personnel to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day lifesaving services of medicine's "front line."

Information on EMS Week can be found HERE.

Information about Guilford County EMS Can be found HERE.

DAE Program Launched!

Not All County Offices Close During Bad Weather!

When Disaster Strikes, Be a Part of the Emergency Operations Center Team!

The Guilford County Emergency Services, Emergency Management Division is currently taking applications for the Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE) program which is open to all Guilford County Employees.

For Complete Program Details, Click on the Image Below:

Click For Details!

If you have additional questions or concerns, please call Guilford County Emergency Services, Emergency Management Division at (336) 641-2278 or visit our website at www.guilford-es.com.

Statewide Ban on Open Burning Lifted

Statewide Ban on Open Burning Lifted as of 12 p.m., March 31, 2008

The statewide ban on open burning was lifted as of noon on March 31, 2008.

For more information on open burning permits and air quality regulations, visit the NC Division of Forest Resources at www.dfr.state.nc.us or call 919-733-0138.

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