1. Nature of activity:
Communications Emergency

 2. Brief description of activity:
Search and Rescue

 3. Places or areas involved:
Herbert Glacier River, Juneau

 4. Number of amateurs participating:
4

 5. Event start date/time:
22 July 2001 1936

 6. Event end date/time:
23 July 2001 0700

 7. Duration of event:
11.5

 8. Total man-hours:


 9. Number of repeaters used:
46

10. Estimated manpower cost (man-hours times $10/hr):
$460

11. Estimated cost of equipment used (hand-helds, repeaters, etc.):
$5600

12. Total estimated cost of service (add amounts from lines 10 and
11):
$6060

13. Nets and/or frequencies used (including repeater call signs):
KL7PF Lena Point repeater
146.52 simplex for on scene 

14. Number of messages handled:


15. Names of agencies receiving communications support:
Alaska State Troopers
SEADOGS (Southeast Alaska Dogs Organized for Ground Search)
Juneau Mountain Rescue

16. Please list call signs of amateurs who were major participants:
KL0MO
WL7QC
NL7ZX
KL0QC
KL1AT

17. Other comments:
PRESS RELEASE
Page 1 of 2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date:   23rd July 2001

JUNEAU, ALASKA - AMATEUR RADIO HELPS SAVE 4 LIVES
Just four weeks after practicing emergency communications skills
members of the Northern Southeast Amateur Radio Emergency Services
(ARES) and Juneau Amateur Radio Club helped to save a fellow ham
operator.
Mark Griffith, amateur call KL0MO, was rafting down the Herbert
Glacier river with 3 friends when their raft was severely damaged.
He and his friends were stranded on a small island in the middle of
the raging river.  There had been 2.4 inches of rain in the preceding
24 hours and the river was running extremely fast.
At 7.36pm Mark used the phone patch feature of the KL7PF repeater at
Lena Point and called 911.  The 911 operator, who also happened to be
the ARES Emergency Coordinator, obtained information from Mark and a
time schedule was arranged for Mark to call back so that additional
information could be obtained while search and rescue personnel were
alerted.  
In the mean time Bob Dewey, amateur call WL7QC, heard Mark?s
transmission and set out for the trailhead to meet with the rescue
personnel.  Once there Bob worked alongside the search and rescue
Incident Commander and was able to contact Mark on a simplex
frequency, allowing direct communications with the rescue personnel.
The rescue was hindered by the rain, which had swollen the river to
the point that it covered the trail, so rescuers from Juneau Mountain
Rescue had to cut their way through the dense undergrowth to get to
the four.  The weather at the time prevented the use of a helicopter
and the river was too fast, and had too much debris, to use a rescue
boat.
During the night the four used the remains of their raft and the life
jackets to improvise a shelter and huddled together.  Throughout the
night Bob provided the four with regular updates, despite the fact
that Mark?s battery died several times, but retained sufficient power
to receive Bob?s communications. Bob Simpson, NL7XZ, Glenn Sicks,
KL0QC and Brent Fischer, KL1AT, maintained a listening watch on the
Juneau repeater system to provide any additional assistance.
 Page 2 of 2
At about 1am, the four were found by a member of SEADOGS, the search
and rescue dog team, and, despite the fact they were unable to reach
them, the mere presence of rescuers lifted their spirits.  They were
eventually lifted of the island around 6.50am by a US Coast Guard
helicopter from Sitka.  The four suffered only mild hypothermia.
Bruce Bowler, the Incident Commander, said; ?Ham radio really saved
their lives, it was a great help in find out exactly where they were
and what condition they were in.   We were able to get updates
throughout the night on how they were doing.?
Mark said: ?Had it not been for the radio no one would have raised
the alarm until 9pm, we told them not to worry until 9pm.?

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT 
NICK MEACHER, N3WWE   at 907-796-3322  or email: [email protected]
Emergency Coordinator 
Northern Southeast Alaska Amateur Radio Emergency Services


* * * END * * *


Name of Amateur Radio organization providing service:
Northern Southeast Alaska ARES & Juneau Amateur Radio Club

Location of organization:
Juneau AK

Your name and callsign:
Nick Meacher, N3WWE

Your address and telephone:
PO Box 33382
Juneau, AK 99803
907-796-3322

ARRL appointment(s), if any:
Emergency Coordinator

Your email address:
[email protected]