DATE: Sunday, June 29, 1997                 TAG: 9706290063

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEPHEN KIEHL, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   34 lines

GRANT MAKES HAM RADIOS AVAILABLE FOR DISASTERS

If a major hurricane hits Hampton Roads and knocks out electricity and telephone lines, some relatively low-tech equipment will keep Portsmouth emergency services in touch with each other and the outside world.

The Portsmouth General Hospital Foundation has awarded a $19,400 grant to the Portsmouth/West Chesapeake chapter of the American Red Cross and Portsmouth Amateur Radio Emergency Services to buy ham radio equipment for emergencies.

Eight dual-band radios and two generators, plus antennas and other necessary equipment, have been purchased. One radio will be in each of the three main shelters - Wilson High School, Churchland Junior High and Waters Middle School - said Diana Creecy, director of emergency services for the local Red Cross chapter.

The radios will allow the Red Cross to talk with emergency vehicles, shelters, other Red Cross units and state headquarters in Richmond. At the shelters, the radios will be operated by members of the Portsmouth Amateur Radio Club.

One of the generators will be mobile. The other will stay with the Red Cross.

The intent, Creecy said, is to have every shelter capable of providing communication during disasters.

``When the Andrews and Hugos come through, it doesn't matter how sophisticated your systems are, the ham radios are always up first,'' she said.

The radios and equipment will be installed soon, Creecy said - in time for the peak of hurricane season.

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