Post by va3css on Apr 8, 2005 15:50:17 GMT -5
Detroit News
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Police and fire officials now will use the Wayne County Amateur Radio Public Service Corps, a volunteer group, as their eyes and ears during hazardous weather instead of a Plymouth-based amateur radio society they claim was unreliable and inactive for the past three years.
The move has upset several members of the Plymouth-based Stu Rockefeller Amateur Radio Society who have monitored weather patterns since their "skywarn spotters" program was created in 1971.
Members no longer have access to the public safety department's equipment and police headquarters because of liability and homeland security concerns.
The move has upset several members of the Plymouth-based Stu Rockefeller Amateur Radio Society who have monitored weather patterns since their "skywarn spotters" program was created in 1971.
Members no longer have access to the public safety department's equipment and police headquarters because of liability and homeland security concerns.
The township's police and fire officials claim the radio society's skywarn spotters group hasn't done its job and that a new group of volunteers will provide enough coverage for the area.
A commitment to the county public service corps -- a larger group of volunteers -- makes sense because it covers the entire county, is more reliable and communicates directly to the National Weather Service, said Don McDurmon, the township's fire inspector and acting emergency manager.
Plymouth amateur radio volunteers reported signs of hazardous weather to police and fire dispatchers or other officials before those observations were then reported to the National Weather Service post in White Lake Township.
A commitment to the county public service corps -- a larger group of volunteers -- makes sense because it covers the entire county, is more reliable and communicates directly to the National Weather Service, said Don McDurmon, the township's fire inspector and acting emergency manager.
Plymouth amateur radio volunteers reported signs of hazardous weather to police and fire dispatchers or other officials before those observations were then reported to the National Weather Service post in White Lake Township.
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