Local high school ham operator hobbyists help first responders in Dallas | 02.05.2007 | 07:02:18 | Views: 5593 | ID: February 5 '07: A Dallas Morning News story reported in the Journal of Emergency Medical Services via LexisNexis found high school students in the Dallas area were helping first responders by learning to use and operate ham radios. The amateur radio club begun at Rowlett High School pairs the students with adult sponsors who teach the kids about the technology, how to communicate and the uses of the radios. Faculty sponsor Frank Roesch told the Dallas paper, "We're trying to put more emergency teams in the school. ... Amateur radio is integrated into that, along with homeland security. The idea is that we can teach these kids to be first responders. ... It's all volunteer-based, and it's a lot of fun. We do everything from tracking tornadic activity to spotting hail and storm clouds. ... We're extra eyes and ears for the police and fire departments." Senior Matthew Stephenson told the Morning News he always carries "a radio with an extra set of batteries in my backpack just in case something were to happen, and all the cell phone were gone, and the electricity's out. ... I'm ready to go to help out, at school, in case something were to ever happen in the building." Stephenson said he is currently training the club for the American Radio Relay League licensing test.
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