ham radioTonight the Chilliwack Amateur Radio Club takes possession of a trailer to use as a disaster relief centre, now all it needs is the radio gear to go in it.

Club president Ryan Allison says ham radio can be used in earthquakes and other disaster situations when cell phones and other communication lines go down.

“The HAM radio team is there ready for backup to communicate with communities around. Say for instance you knew somebody up in Kamloops and your cell phone service did not work. You could go to the communications centre via HAM radio operators, they’ll have a communications trailer like ours, and leave a message and we’ll be able to contact them and relay information for you.”

Allison says in a disaster the centre would coordinate with other emergency response efforts  around the city.

“The City will come to us and help delegate the situation, and we’re there in response for backup purposes. We have repeaters on local mountains that have generators and backup batteries that last for weeks on end.”

The club was able to purchase the trailer through a gaming funds grant and is fundraising to buy the equipment it needs for the trailer. Click here to go to the fundraising page.