Update regarding the upcoming storms

Hello everyone,

With tropical storm 13 (now named Laura) and tropical depression 14 moving towards the Southeast, I wanted to give an update regarding the traffic system and preparations that are underway.

Traffic system involvement will depend on the impact these storms have, such as on communications, electrical, and other infrastructure. There may be no or very little traffic related to these storms, or there may be some traffic, or more.

I have reached out to Section Traffic Managers across the Southeast to check in on any specific needs that we in our Section can assist with, such as setting up additional traffic net hours, and I will meet with traffic handlers and net managers in our Section to discuss these storms.

If you have friends or family within the tracks of these storms, establish an out-of-area contact. Those affected can update the out-of-area contact, and then other friends and family can receive updates from the out-of-area contact. This saves the need for those affected to try and update a large number of people, especially when communications infrastructure may be impacted. This person can also serve as a destination for any radiogram-based welfare traffic. Please ask anyone you may know in these areas that may be impacted by these tropical depressions to identify their out-of-area contact, and then let your friend and family know who that contact is.

The time to prepare is now, as once the storms arrive the time to prepare ends. Please know that I, along with other Leadership in the Section including Steve Lott Smith (KG5VK) our Section Manager and Greg Evans (K5GTX) our Section Emergency Coordinator are monitoring these storms and will provide updates should they be warranted.

You can monitor the latest through your local news outlets and the National Hurricane Center.

As always, my thanks to traffic handlers in our Section that help keep traffic moving and work so diligently to provide this vital service. While I hope there will not be a need for traffic or any other amateur radio assistance related to these storms, I stand confident in our capabilities in the National Traffic System, the Amateur Radio Emergency Service, and beyond should the need arise.

73,
Aaron | K8AMH