Hello to all…
*** APOLOGIES FOR DELAYED ARES STAND-BY MESSAGE UPDATE ***
*** EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS ARES STAND-BY WAS RECINDED THURSDAY AM 2/26/26 AS SHELTER OPERATIONS SUPPORTED BY CAPE COD ARES IN SANDWICH MA WAS COMPLETED***
Apologies for the delay in this update as we have been continuing to work on post storm damage assessment for the Blizzard of 2026 in parallel with monitoring any potential ARES operations. Eastern Massachusetts ARES is standing down from its standby status that began on Sunday Evening February 22nd at 800 PM. A Major Winter Storm/Blizzard impacted the region late Sunday Evening 2/22/26 through Monday Evening 2/23/26 with snowfall amounts over 3 feet in some area of Eastern Massachusetts and hurricane force wind gusts coupled with heavy wet snow causing widespread pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages across the section. Minor to moderate coastal flooding also occurred. At the height of the storm, close to 300,000 lost power in Massachusetts and mostly in Southeast Coastal Massachusetts including Cape Cod and the Islands with close to 50,000 without power in the Rhode Island section mostly in South-Central RI. Shelter operations took place in Sandwich, MA Monday Evening 2/23/26 through Wednesday Evening 2/25/26.
A National ARRL web-story on the ARES-SKWARN effort and the ARES operations in Sandwich, MA can be seen here:
https://www.arrl.org/news/view/hams-help-forecasters-with-real-time-data-on-northeast-blizzard
A more detailed article will be published by ARRL later next week in the ARRL Letter.
An updated Post Blizzard Coordination Message will be posted at https://www.wx1box.org later this weekend.
What is ARES Stand-By mode?
ARES stand-by mode is to alert Amateurs within ARES that a mobilization is possible on a wide-scale and that some localized mobilizations are or could be taking place in isolated areas. It means to take a look at your Go-Kit and have batteries and equipment ready to go and charged up and take care of any requirements at home in case a mobilization is required and you can participate. Do NOT self-deploy. Wait for guidance from leadership for any deployment. It is an honor to be ready even if you don’t deploy for the event. Hopefully, this is just another exercise of our preparedness and capabilities. If not, the ARES leadership looks forward to working with you if any wide scale mobilization is required after the impact of this major storm to the region is fully understood.
Thanks for your continued support of Eastern Massachusetts ARES!
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – https://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio