Florida amateur radio operators support Hurricane Isaias relief

Amateur radio operators in Florida provided critical emergency communications support during and after Hurricane Isaias. Volunteers from Santa Rosa, Nassau, Lake, Pinellas, and Leon Counties assisted in maintaining communication capabilities when traditional systems faced potential disruptions.

In Santa Rosa County, operators staffed the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and the Milton Community Center evacuation shelter, establishing a vital link to relay situational updates. Across the state, auxiliary communications teams supported the State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee to ensure connectivity if conventional networks failed.

Arc Thames, the Santa Rosa County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) Program Manager, noted that amateur radio serves as a dependable auxiliary resource and an additional layer of resiliency for community protection during disasters.