The Westcoast Amateur Radio Association (WARA) fulfills a public service function by providing radio communications volunteers and radio equipment for events for events in and around the Greater Victoria area.
Does your organization have a large spread out event that could benefit from a team of skilled radio communicators?
The Westcoast Amateur Radio Association has up to 50 trained and very experienced radio operators available to support your event. These volunteers can help augment your event safety plans.
What can we do?
- Quickly dispatch medical assistance directly to the scene of an injury or distress.
- Communicate eye witness reports of things that are happening on scene.
- Communicate scores of games and positions of racers live.
- Provide emergency communications in the event of the loss of the telephone networks and the internet. This can be voice, text, pictures, moving gps positions and video.
- Provide administrative communication services to link event administration, various course locations (first aid and water stations), supply vehicles, medical dispatch, and more.
What we don’t do:
- Provide medical assistance beyond bystander first aid.
- Block or manage traffic.
- Broadcast on AM / FM radio or televisions.
Current public support activities:
Detailed listing: https://www.ve7vic.ca/public-service-and-events/event-listings/
Summary:
- Royal Victoria Marathon running road race
- CARHA Hockey tournaments
- Times Colonist 10K running road race
- Tour de Victoria bicycle ride
- Municipal emergency communications
Cost?
WARA has an entirely volunteer membership. We generally request an honorarium of 1000 CAD to support a large event. This honorarium goes to support the radio equipment used, such as a gps tracker that follows the last participant in a race, and especially to support our very extensive repeater network that covers the south end of Vancouver Island.
Timelines?
For a new event that WARA has not previously participated in, we request a lead time of 3 months. This will give us sufficient time to purchase and test any specialized support equipment that may be required.
For events we have previously supported, 2 months is requested in order to solicit and assign volunteers.
How to contact us?
For more information about arranging WARA support for your event contact us: Public Service Coordinator
References
- For new volunteers: https://www.ve7vic.ca/public-service-and-events/event-volunteers/
- Responsibilities of a public service event team member: https://www.ve7vic.ca/public-service-and-events/responsibilities-of-a-public-service-event-team-member/
- Other public service events: https://www.ve7vic.ca/public-service-and-events/event-listings/