Ham operators as communicators
When we are called upon in an emergency, they are requesting our ability to operate on the amateur frequencies. That is not all, however. They are also requesting a person who can communicate well and create logs. Remember, to improve, we have to evaluate, and that requires logging.
When we view our role solely through the lens of holding an amateur radio license, we can miss the value we bring. That value is a person who can take up the communications roel and relieve the partner of that burden. I work in IT. When a system goes down, I need to get it back up; however, the people impacted need to be informed. That means splitting my time between fixing the issue and sending out emails/texts as I go. The same is true for our partners. It is much simpler to say what is going on and let someone else send out the whole message. It allows the people who can do the work to do it with fewer interruptions. That is where we can help.
Maybe the partner needs to get supplies, such as blankets, food, water, and cots. A fax or email would be the most efficient method, and if available, we should take advantage of every mode of communication and not limit ourselves. For example, supplies are needed for the Red Cross shelter. The decision is to request assistance from another Red Cross outside the affected area. An email or fax with the list would be the quickest and most efficient way. If those services are down, a service like Winlink could bridge the gap and efficiently send the supply request from the impacted area.
This is why we run nets. This is why we practice with other modes. And that is why people call on us to do everything from passing on situational information to checking on loved ones.
