On August 2, Terry Stader, KA8SCP received a request for Amateur Radio communications assistance for a shelter in Westford during the recent heat emergency. Stader sought at least two people to staff two shifts, six-to-eight hours in length. He polled members of the Police Amateur Radio Team of Westford and others in the area. A total of five amateurs volunteered: WI1R, AA1VS, WA1VIE, K1LJN and KA8SCP. “Coincidently, these folks are also Community Emergency Response Team members in the Merrimack Valley,” writes KA8SCP.
“Shelter ops were conducted at the Cameron Senior Center on only one night–Tuesday night,” according to Stader. “I got the phone call late Tuesday night around 10:15 PM that there was an elderly woman from the Graniteville side of town who was without power and was going to be transported to the senior center.”
Stader adds that it was originally “only going to be for a couple of hours” but ended up being all night. Once the electric company repaired the outage, the woman was transported back home and the shelter operation was closed about 4:45 AM.
“I’ve been asked to pass on thank you from Chief Rochon, Tim Whitcomb and Captain Joe Targ to those that offered to assist,” adds KA8SCP. “I, too, would like to thank those of you that offered to help and stood by ready to go to Cameron if needed. Fortunately we were only called to action the one night.”