Subj : Other Ham Radio News
To : All
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Tue May 28 2019 05:48 pm
Ohio ARES Active in Wake of Tornadoes that Badly Damaged Hara Arena
05/28/2019
Hara Arena, in Trotwood, Ohio, which served as the home for Dayton
Hamvention (R) for more than six decades, was among the structures
damaged when tornadoes swept through the Dayton area on Memorial Day.
According to a report from WHIO TV, Hara Arena suffered extensive
damage. Drone video showed that the roof and side of the structure
had been blown off in several places. Hamvention relocated to the
Greene County Fairgrounds and Exhibition Center in 2017, after Hara
Arena shut down the previous year (2016).
The Hara Arena damage apparently resulted from what CBS News called
"a large and dangerous tornado" that struck Trotwood. Ohio Section
Emergency Coordinator Stan Broadway, N8BHL, said ARES counties and
districts activated last evening after nearly 40 tornado warnings
were issued across the state.
"Our state EOC Auxcomm station has been on the air since early last
evening," Broadway told ARRL. "We are still active, and it looks
like ARES will be active for several days during the recovery. The
situation is rapidly changing."
As of Tuesday morning, state and local emergency management agencies
are handling damage issues. "Because of lack of power, the entire
Montgomery County (Dayton area) water system faces depressurization,"
Broadway said. "Dayton Children's Hospital is on complete generator
power."
Ohio ARES remains active on HF (SSB and digital modes), as well as on
DMR and VHF repeaters.
"This appears to be a long-term activation while different areas begin
the recovery process," Broadway said. "Counties and districts involved
are urged to maintain liaison with the state through one of these nets."
The severe weather caused widespread damage in and around Dayton and
elsewhere in the Miami Valley. The National Weather Service (NWS) has
said it will take several days to survey the damage. The tornadoes
struck after dark, and damage assessment is still under way. Multiple
injuries and one fatality have been reported.
It appears that at least two tornadoes were responsible for most of the
devastation, which has been termed "catastrophic." Some residents were
trapped under debris. Residents of the City of Dayton are being advised
to conserve water and to boil it before consuming. Electrical power is
out in several areas, and water pumping stations are relying on
emergency generators. The NWS office in Wilmington, Ohio, estimated
that at one point, storms and tornadoes left some 5 million people
without electrical power.
Snow plows were being repurposed to remove debris from Interstate Route
75, and the American Red Cross has set up shelters to accommodate
displaced residents.
--- SBBSecho 3.07-Win32
* Origin: RadioWxNet: The Thunderbolt BBS tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)
� Synchronet � Temple of Doom BBS - tod.eothnet.com
