October Meeting of Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club
October 17 - Emergency Services Night: Hospital Disaster Support
Communications System
Speaker - April Moell, WA6OPS
Meeting Starts - 7:30 PM
Location: Goleta Union Schools Admin. Board Room
401 N. Fairview Ave., Goleta
The Hospital Disaster Support Communications System of Orange County has
been in existance for 23 years and has responded to 75 emergencies in
support of 35 hospitals. Lots has been learned along the way regarding
activation procedures, hospital interface, and training etc. This
presentation will offer case studies of several emergencies (e.g.
Placentia train collison; Laguna Fire) to which HDSCS has responded and
highlight how the ARES structure, activation procedures and specialized
training led to accomplishing the mission of backing up communications
critical to patient care.
With experience both as an Amateur Radio operator and hospital employee,
April Moell found it natural to combine the two in HDSCS. She passed her
first ham operator test in 1976 and now holds an Advanced Class license.
As a Registered Occupational Therapist, April served for 17 years as
Director of Occupational and Recreational Therapies at St. Jude Medical
Center in Fullerton, CA. While there, she originated HDSCS. She also
founded the Rehab Radio program, which used Amateur Radio communications
as a therapy tool with patients recovering from stroke, head injury, and
spinal cord injury. In addition, she initiated the North Pole Network,
which brings joy to hospital patients of all ages at Christmas time.
If you are planning on attending dinner with the speaker, please let
Marvin KE6HTS (marvin(a)rain.org) know so we can make reservations. The
dinner will be held at Cody's Restaurant at 5:30pm. Cody's is located in
the shopping center at the corner of Hollister Ave and Turnpike Rd.