Rural Preparedness Summit fosters inter-operability

submitted courtesy of Michael Adams (K7MKA) -- The 8th annual Rural Preparedness Summit was held in Fallon at the Convention Center on Wednesday and Thursday, June 12th and 13th. The purpose of this Summit (held every year in Fallon for the last 8 years) is to provide classes to First Responders and Emergency Service Professionals in how to handle community, regional, and national disasters, and also build a connection between these organizations to better foster interoperability during these events.  There were attendees from almost every rural county in the state, and every department  within those counties represented including officials from the Nevada Department of Emergency Management, FEMA, and REMSA. The Amateur Radio of Churchill County (ARCC) was there with the Mobile Communications Trailer, and a table set up inside to help those first responders better understand Amateur Radios role in emergency communications. When all else fails, including Cell Phones, Telephone Lines, the Internet, and Public Safety Communications, Amateur Radio continues to operate relaying emergency communications between Law Enforcement, Hospitals, and other emergency responders, as well as passing message traffic across the country through the National Traffic System (NTS), and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).  ARCC also has a permanent station within the Churchill County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the Churchill County Administration complex on Taylor Street. Special thanks to those in attendance and/or helped setup to make this a great success are:  Brenda and Chris Jeppesen (AF7SW & KG7ODP), Mike and Tony Adams (K7MKA & KJ7DUF), Bob Clifford (KF7LSM), Dudley Meyer (KE6ULJ), Steve Bird (KM6YU), Rick Bischoff (K7ET), Josh Shelton (K7ZIM) and Rick Mc Cusker (WF6O).     Support local, independent news – contribute to The Fallon Post, your non-profit (501c3) online news source for all things Fallon. Never miss the local news -- read more on The Fallon Post home page.