♪♪
-This is W7ACS, the Seattle Auxiliary Communication Service.
We're at the Emergency Operations Center for the
FIFA World Cup activation.
-So this is the radio room or emergency communications
and warning room, which is at the back of the
Emergency Operations Center.
♪♪
-Next station, please come ahead.
-This is Kilo 7 Delta Victor Romeo.
-We are the volunteer amateur radio group supporting
the City of Seattle Office of Emergency Management.
-9400 block of East Marginal Way, is that correct?
-That is correct.
-Seattle is hosting a FIFA game today.
[crowd chanting]
So the Emergency Operations Center is active and ACS is
here in the EOC supporting that that function.
-Thanks so much for checking in.
Next station please.
-So we have a number of members out in the community today
who are going about their normal lives at home or at work.
[radio dispatch communications]
And we've asked them to call in to say where
they are and what their capabilities and availability
are to deploy if they're needed.
-I am at 23rd Avenue and Yesler Way.
-We're going to visually represent them on a map
so that we know who's available in what areas.
-5-5 and 5-20 available to deploy in 30 minutes
with wind link and voice.
Thank you for checking in, sir.
Next station, please come ahead.
-So if there were to be a disaster situation
and they needed communication support,
we would activate our membership throughout the city.
Some would come here to the Emergency Operations
Center and staff the stations that we have here.
We also have a lot of members throughout the city
who can deploy from home at their home station
or out into the field with mobile radio units.
They can provide situational awareness reports
from their community and also help the city spread
information bulletins that they release to the public.
[marching band drums]
So the Seahawks parade was the most recent activation for us
where we had members in the field from the
beginning of the event.
So we had a team here in the radio room
supporting the EOC again but also keeping in contact
with 16 members in the field along the parade route.
And so for that activation, we were providing
updates continuously throughout the parade.
Because as the large crowd moved with the team, the cell phone
signal was lost by most people.
It was very hard to get out.
So amateur radio was the thing that still worked.
All right, Roger that.
-Not available to deploy, but you can monitor.
-Amateur radio is a lot of fun.
We have a lot of fun as a group.
We do our own exercises and our own events.
If you like speaking on the radio,
if you like building equipment, all of those routes
are available to you.
So whatever you're into, there's a place for
you in amateur radio.
-Roger that, Mark.
We've got you at Sandpoint Way.
-I joined ACS about a month ago.
I wanted to be more involved in emergency operations.
That's what I do for a career is disaster response and
challenge myself to learn how to work a radio and put
my emergency management experience to a different use.
I love it.
I'm having a great time.
This is so fun.
It's so cool to see these passionate volunteers
giving their time and their expertise and
wanting to share it with other people and serve their
community, serve the city and and make sure people are safe.
- This is W7ACS, break.
♪♪
-Watch CityStream Tuesday nights at 7 on the Seattle Channel,
or find us anytime online at SeattleChannel.org.
♪♪