The Healthcare Emergency Amateur Radio Team (HEART) was developed in conjunction with the Eastern Virginia Healthcare Coalition (EVHC) partners with equipment purchased and maintained through a federal grant.
MISSION: The mission of the Healthcare Emergency Amateur Radio Team (HEART) is to provide emergency communications for participating healthcare facilities in the event of a catastrophic communications failure.
HOW WE DO IT: Each licensed, amateur radio operator is a trained and vetted volunteer of the healthcare facility to which they are assigned. (Healthcare facilities provide free training and more to their volunteers.)
CAPABILITIES: In the event that the facility experiences an internal or external communications failure the team can provide inter-facility communications and serve as a relay point to either the Regional Healthcare Coordination Center (RHCC) or the facility’s local Emergency Operations Center (EOC) using the amateur radio.
ACTIVATION: This team of volunteer, licensed, amateur radio operators may be activated in advance of severe weather events or in response to other emergencies or disasters by the individual healthcare facility to which they are assigned.
EQUIPMENT: Each participating healthcare facility has a radio station equipped with the same preprogrammed amateur radio, power supply, SWR meter, TNC controller, laptop computer, installed antenna, back-up antenna and operators manual. Team members routinely use WINLINK to transmit message traffic between stations.
OPERATING ENVIRONMENT: Each radio station is located inside of a healthcare facility. This could be a hospital, nursing home or other residential care facility. Amateur radio operators normally work indoors, in a secure, climate controlled environment with access to restrooms, food and water/beverages.
TIME COMMITTMENT: HEART members participate in biweekly HEART nets using their radio station at their designated healthcare facility. In addition, HEART members also participate in other nets, drills, exercises to maintain their skills and ensure that their respective radio stations are operational.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
WE NEED YOU! The Eastern Virginia Healthcare Coalition (EVHC) is seeking volunteers to become members of HEART. Licensed and new HAMS are welcome!
NO LICENSE? NO PROBLEM! What? You are interested but don't have an amateur radio license? Contact us! We can provide training and mentoring to help you obtain your amateur radio license.
Remember - As a volunteer amateur radio operator you can play a vital role serving our region's healthcare organization by providing critical communications in times of an emergency or disaster.
CONTACT US TODAY!
For more information please contact Ira or Paul Swartz via e-mail at iThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
