"The Knysna fire of 2017 went down into the history books as one of the biggest environmental disasters to hit the Garden Route. As the 8th anniversary of the great fire approaches, the man who predicted the 2017 chaos, Dr Guy Preston, has made an urgent appeal to the entire region.
He has warned that the situation on the ground is far worse, and the next fire will be far more destructive. Are we ready? " - Group Editors
Need I say anything about the fires that occurred in 2017 and 2018 in the Southern Cape? I asked the following question on 29 September 2023:
Are we ready to provide Emergency Communications in South Africa during a Disaster?
I am not aware of any active amateur radio emergency communications group in the Southern Cape. I might be mistaken but really there is no mentioning of any emergency communications activity over the air in this area. If anybody knows of any amateur radio emergency communications activity in the Southern Cape I would like to hear from you. Send me and email by clicking HERE.
I need to ask the following question:
"Is your amateur radio station equipped to handle any emergency situation, disaster or total power blackout event ?"
This question leads to more questions than answers. Now some might say I am not interested in amateur radio emergency communications. Whether you are interested in emergency communications or not, if your community experience a disaster and you are asked to assist with radio communications, will you be able to assist within an hour or two.
The following questions are currently unanswered.
Hopefully some of the questions might set your brain into the thinking
and creative mode:
- Can you be of benefit to your local community before, during and after any emergency situation or disaster?
- Must you be a member of any emergency communication group to assist with emergency radio communications in your local community?
- Are your ready to provide emergency communications during load shedding and what equipment do you have available to overcome power failures?
- How quickly can you respond to a request to assist during a emergency situation?
- Can you use the following modes? Winlink, FT8Call, AREDN, Morse Code etc.
- Should we get involved at all in providing any communication during a disaster or emergency situation?
- Must I be a paid up member to any organization to provide any communications when a disaster or emergency arise?
- If there is no amateur radio emergency communication member or organization in your community will you be able to assist with communications?
- Will you assist with emergency communications when asked by you local authority or community members?
- What equipment do you have available to assist, radios, antennas, batteries, inverters, solar power etc.?
- What roll if any did amateur radio play before, during and after the Knysna Fire Disaster?
- Should we wait until we are called upon to assist with radio communications during a emergency or disaster event?
- When there is load shedding I have noticed that many amateur radio stations are off the air. As a simple example you can just look at the ZS-Link Network. Activity is at an all time low during load shedding. Why is this the case? If we cannot keep the ZS-Link Network running during load shedding what will happen during a disaster? Will we as radio amateurs be able to provide emergency communications if we do not have backup power systems?
The above questions are not posted to point finger or to "stir". It is questions that came to the fore as a result of the fire disasters that occurred in 2017 and 2018. The above is posted as food for thought and hopefully to motivate some fellow radio amateurs to improve their stations if they are not currently equipped for total blackouts or natural and man made disasters.
Of the utmost importance is communications amongst and between other amateur radio
organizations/clubs/emergency communication networks. It was clear from this event that the one did not know what the other was doing. This was clearly evident in emails received and posts on amateur radio forums.
Emergency Communications training is needed and more frequent Emergency Communications
Training exercises are essential. Simplicity need to be looked at. The disparate radio systems in use by all roll players during the Knysna Fire Disaster interrupted services. This radio communication disparity issue prevented effected communications during the event. I am not aware that this issue has been addressed to prevent such issues during a future disaster.
Finally: I am no prophet of doom but we need to be prepared for any eventuality in this country. The 2017 Knysna Fire Disaster was the wake-up call we all needed. The question remain whether we took this wake-up call to heart? Only time will tell!!
