Amateur Radio,
Rescue & Recovery

Amateur radio played a role in the rescue and clean-up efforts on 9/11/01, and the weeks following.

Amateur radio operators established communications, maintained emergency networks, and formed bucket brigades with hundreds of other volunteer personnel.

Approximately 500 amateur radio operators
volunteered their services
during the disaster and recovery.

Please read more about
Amateur Radio, Rescue & Recovery
Reprinted with permission from the November 2001 QST
copyright © 2001 ARRL

Across the river in New Jersey amateurs also mustered their resources as the emergency unfolded.

Hospitals had been designated and shelters set up across the Hudson River to handle any overflow from New York City.

ARRL Northern New Jersey SEC Steve Ostrove, K2SO, said that dozens of amateurs from his section helped with emergency communications following the attacks.

Amateur Radio operators were stationed at four Red Cross shelters in New Jersey, helping to back up the spotty telephone communication.

Among other things, the shelters provided a haven for those unable to return home because of restricted traffic into Manhattan.

Northern New Jersey operators also supplemented and relieved the New York City ARES team.

A Red Cross emergency net ran on the NO2EL 145.37 MHz repeater, and an ARES net was activated on the WS2Q repeater, with liaison to New York City's ARES/RACES net on 147.000 MHz.

The nets were able to coordinate volunteer efforts and blood donations.

Several Red Cross chapters in New Jersey were linked by Amateur Radio.

According to Rich Krajewski, WB2CRD, the Jersey City Amateur Radio Club was called on to assist the Red Cross after their repeater atop the World Trade Center was lost in the building's collapse.

Club member Stan Daniels, KB2FY, and John Hunter, KE2ZZ (who drove from South Jersey to help) were the backbone of an effort that set up a 2-meter station that allowed communication with local emergency officials and a Red Cross net.

Hams also added 2-meter capability to Red Cross emergency vehicles to help them keep in touch as they were delivering cots, meals and supplies to shelters in Hudson County.

About a dozen members of the David Sarnoff Radio Club voluntarily activated N2ARC on the 146.46 MHz repeater September 11 to help the American Red Cross Central New Jersey Chapter in Princeton Junction.

Please read more in this news item from
The Jersey Journal of September 25, 2001
Radio operators took to air
Aided rescue at Ground Zero

(A PDF reprint).

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