GRIMES COUNTY, Texas (KRHD) — The Grimes County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) is seeking community support to purchase a trailer for their equipment, enabling better emergency communication during disasters.
- Grimes County ARES members are licensed, trained radio communicators who ensure communication during disasters when traditional systems fail.
- The group requires a trailer to store and transport equipment, as past field exercises under tents have proven insufficient for extended emergencies.
- ARES is applying for federal grants and asking for local contributions, aiming to train community members to assist in emergency communication efforts.
- To get in touch with Grimes County ARES, reach out on their Facebook page, and website.
Broadcast script:
When disasters strike and conventional communication systems fail, the Grimes County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) steps in to keep lines of communication open.
“When the phones are out and everything else is down, we're expected to be able to communicate. And that's what we do,” said Tom Talley, president of Grimes County ARES.
Far from being novices, ARES members are licensed and trained radio communicators who excel in establishing emergency communication networks under challenging circumstances.
“We're there as radio people. We enjoy the hobby. We know about systems, and we can kind of throw a wire up in a tree and communicate,” Talley explained.
However, setting up these vital systems isn’t as simple as it sounds. The group relies on heavy equipment and machinery to establish their networks. To enhance their capabilities, they’re now seeking community support to purchase a trailer to house and transport their equipment.
“Our problem is for our field days in the past where we go out and exercise our radios, we've done that under a tent. And you can't stay long in an emergency overnight with weather and heat and stuff and get much done,” Talley said.
The group has identified a trailer that fits their needs and is pursuing federal grants to help fund the purchase. They’re also reaching out to the local community for contributions and volunteers to help them achieve their goal.
“We're gonna train the people who will log into the systems and help us do our job from around the state,” Talley noted.
Whether through volunteering time and skills or making a financial contribution toward the communications trailer, Grimes County ARES is eager to partner with the community to ensure preparedness for the next disaster.
“We're the radio geeks. So that's our job,” Talley said.
