Presentation to the
Global Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Conference
Huntsville, Alabama USA
August 14-15, 2014
Super Typhoon hits
• Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) a fast-moving Category 5 that
struck the centrally-located Eastern Visayas of The Philippines
on November 8, 2013.
• It made landfall at Manicani island in Eastern Samar and
eventually passing through Coron in Palawan.
• With 300 kilometres per hour winds, it generated storm
surges unseen in recent history.
The map shows the projected and actual paths of Yolanda (Haiyan).
In Tacloban City the storm surged more than 10 kilometres
inland. This is was the access road to Tacloban airport.
PARA and its HERO network was ready
• The Philippines Amateur Radio Association, a
member society of the IARU, was ready with its
HERO (Ham Emergency Radio Operations) Network.
• When the typhoon struck, the magnitude of the
resulting disaster erased all semblance of
preparation.
• There were widespread reports of homes and
buildings, swept away, road blocked with fallen trees,
and disrupted power and communications.
Jeric Silva DV1JMS (centre beside man with cap), President of
PARA affiliate club ACCESS-5 assisting in the retrieval of
casualties. The first message from Nathan Eamiguel DU5AOK of
RADNET-5, another PARA affiliate club, “please send body bags.”
The disaster agencies had a meeting on November 5, 2013
with PARA affiliate clubs ACCESS-5 and RADNET-5 .
HERO stations are experienced
• The HERO network of individuals and clubs were the only
immediate source of communication in and out of the area.
• The Philippines is battered by an average of 20 major storms
or typhoons each year. Typhoon Bopha had left about 2,000
people dead or missing on Mindanao Island in December
2012.
• Although HERO had provided disaster communications in
earlier earthquakes, mudslides and storms, no-one had faced
such a powerful a typhoon, which smashed islands and
destroyed the homes of more than four million people.
At the Roxas City Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction
Management Council is Iver Astronomo DV6ILA and Arnel Van
Aleligay DV6WAV. They also manage fire, police, local
government and disaster agencies as well as HERO traffic.
Responding to the threat and disaster
• With the threat of a typhoon, HERO reported on the official
pre-emptive evacuations along exposed coastal areas as the
weather system closed in - potentially saving many lives.
• Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) made landfall at 4.40am local time
on November 8, 2013, in Guian Estern Samar, about 600
kilometres southeast of Manila, and neighbouring provinces
were affected.
• Then it made second landfall over Dulag-Tolosa, Leyte with
maximum sustained winds of 235 kilometres per hour near
the centre and gusting up to 275 kph.
• The area of Bohol and Cebu, that had a 7.2 magnitude
earthquake a month earlier, was in its path.
Extent of HERO
• The HERO involvement in providing emergency
communications engaged about 100 radio amateurs including those living in the affected areas.
• The terrible toll was officially more than 6,200 people
dead and 2,000 missing, many in the wake of giant,
tsunami-like waves unleashed on coastal communities.
• The losses included 71,000 hectares of agricultural land
with crops of rice and corn.
Extent of HERO
• HERO had responded to an earthquake at Bohol that killed
222 people a month earlier, where at least 5,000 survivors
were living in tents.
• HERO stations helped track the destructive storm, its fierce
wind, rainfall, storm surges, damage, plus outages of
communications and other services.
• The emergency messages kept flowing through HERO
Network stations on 7.095 MHz, 144.740 MHz and via social
media.
One of the good stories from Yolanda is the recognition
that local hams received. Iver DV6ILA was designated as
convoy lead by UNOCHA in the distribution of relief
goods. The UNOCHA official, Fernando Arroyo is also a
ham, callsign EA4BB.
Welfare and searching
• Non-government agencies and the military began to move in
to areas to provide medical assistance, search and rescue,
shelter, welfare and food.
• HERO worked with the authorities providing vital, on-the-spot
reports and messages.
• Among those responding were the European Union, UNICEF,
Red Cross, US Navy, and many other non-government
domestic and foreign aid and relief organisations.
Tacloban City hit hard
• Tacloban City in Leyte Province established an emergency link
back to the capital city of Manila to carry many essential
traffic messages as the rescue and relief effort continued.
• The Tacloban City HERO station operated out of the City Hall
powered by a generator and using a wire antenna.
• Meanwhile another HERO group, ACCESS-5, set-up its base at
the Tacloban Grandstand where members served as operators
for the national agencies. Its VHF frequency 144.650 was the
only emergency channel used by these agencies.
Bodies littered the streets. Jeric DV5JMS was overwhelmed
by the number of casualties.
Played an important role
• With field liaisons HERO was able to validate and secure
requested information on Tacloban residents from relatives.
• This continued with DX5RAN (RADNET or the District 5 Radio
Amateur Network), while many other HERO stations were
operating throughout the affected areas and elsewhere.
• Leyte Island was one of six islands hit, with initial reports of
survivors sheltering in damaged homes describing the noise
sounding like a jumbo jet.
• Monitoring HERO traffic back in Manila was the National
Telecommunications Commission.
NTC asked for help
• The National Telecommunications Commission regional office
in Tacloban needed hand-held radio contacts – and enlisted
HERO in that work.
• Earthquake-struck Bohol is on the eastern side of Leyte, only
had a short break before establishing a HERO command
centre at the Governor's Office.
• From there high ranking government officials were able to use
a HERO link manned by Nathan Eamiguel DU5AOK, to
communicate with the National Disaster and Risk Reduction
Council.
NTC kept informed
• The National Telecommunications Commission was given
briefings, and used the HERO Network for several messages.
• The NTC had an emergency meeting chaired by its
Commissioner, Gamaliel A. Cordoba attended by two PARA
representatives.
• The meeting decided to provide hams with mobile rigs and
hand-held portables.
• The NTC asked that the HERO coverage be expanded to
gather information from the farthest town that could be
accessed.
HERO spreads its reach
• There had been no news from the islands as the initial
national government focus had been on Tacloban City and its
neighbouring municipalities.
• However DX7CA sent a team east of Cebu Province, to set up
HERO stations including in the Cebu Capitol Building.
• The Governor convened a needs-assessment meeting with
local officials, and the HERO network was able to help
coordinate the recovery.
Media interest in HERO activity was local, and
worldwide with the BBC and a US radio network.
Remote areas begin getting help
• Rescuers and relief supplies reached remote places for the
first time days later, and those involved painted a gloomy
picture indeed.
• All emergency services, supported by the military and at least
five major HERO stations were overwhelmed by the disaster,
but got on with the job ahead.
• Despite being of modest means and many finding themselves
and their families affected by the Typhoon, they kept HERO
stations active helping authorities and residents. Many simply
inquired through HERO stations to find the location and
welfare of people.
The difficult phase of a long disaster
• As the need dragged on, HERO found itself at in a difficult
phase. Local operators needed a rest - but would not budge
from their locations. However these victims and their families
had to fend for themselves and eventually, reluctantly gave up
that role.
• Telecoms companies steadily restored cellular mobile
services, and there was gradually less of reliance on the HERO
network, although coverage remained patchy for some time.
• HERO activity gained some media exposure for the voluntary
emergency communications service it provided to the
agencies and community in times of disaster.
Typhoon disaster results
• A greater awareness and understanding of the importance
of Amateur Radio matured during the disaster.
• Thought has been given to further training and maintaining
stations at NTC regional offices.
• After weeks of deployment, the Philippines Amateur Radio
Association stood down its HERO Network on November
27, although a few remained on the disaster clean-up.
Typhoon disaster results
• What the disaster reinforced was the need for more
equipment deployable in the field, power source generators,
antenna systems, as well as food or ration packs and HERO
operator tents.
• Alternative energy was needed particular for existing
infrastructure of voice repeaters on VHF such as batteries and
solar power.
• PARA is working with the National Telecommunications
Commission, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management Council, on the future emergency
communications need.
A SUV vehicle lying upside down in downtown Roxas City.
Mustering by ACCESS-5 at the back of the Tacloban Grandstand
The first effort at establishing HF link by RADNET-5 using the
truck battery as a power source. It was a 20-watt field station
but enough to be heard by PARA operators in Manila. It later
relocated to Tacloban City Hall where generators kept it going
at 100 watts. Antenna was a homebrew 40 metre wire dipole.
First world disaster comms in action. UNOCHA personnel
set-up microwave links at the Roxas City Provincial Capitol
Building.
Photo courtesy of DV6ILA
After the storm
PARA embarked on a funding drive using Facebook, resulting in
the following clubs and individuals being given assistance:
• 29 members of ACCESS-5
• 78 members of RADNET-5
• 5 members of the Cebu Amateur Radio League (CARL)
• Some members of the Chocolate Hills Amateur Radio League
and NORAD-7 in Dumaguete
• Lester Price DV5PO ( the only HF link to Borongan Eastern
Samar. His house was almost totalled.)
• Iver Astronomo DV6ILA
• Arnel Van Aleligay DV6WAV
The common denominator for the recipients – they are HERO
operators and victims of Yolanda.
LIST OF DONATIONS
Date
List of Donors
Maraming Salamat Po!
4-Dec-13
2-Dec-13
29-Nov-13
26-Nov-13
25-Nov-13
25-Nov-13
24-Nov-13
21-Nov-13
19-Nov-13
18-Nov-13
18-Nov-13
18-Nov-13
17-Nov-13
16-Nov-13
16-Nov-13
16-Nov-13
16-Nov-13
16-Nov-13
15-Nov-13
15-Nov-13
15-Nov-13
15-Nov-13
14-Nov-13
14-Nov-13
14-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
13-Nov-13
16-Nov-13
21-Nov-13
Name
Arnold Krauel
Lee Rice
Paul Brewer
Karen Trask
Walter Donig
Monte SIMPSON
Klaus Moellmann
Chris van Gorp
Michael Schwingen
Jürgen Pfeifer
International section The Japan Amateur Radio League
John Chomley
keith belongia
Elaine Kjellquist
Glenn Dubay
david sumner, G3PVH
PAOLO FIORELLI, IW2ETR
Erwin De Munter, ON4CGP
Hans-Martin Kurka
Joseph Salvo
James Compton, WB9RRO
Sven Jagemann
Lynette Rudzki, KC8NAH
GÖRAN BERGLIND
Michael Kitchen, KD5PXH
Vincent Colombo, F4BKV
Jonathan Rea
Grünsteidl Hannes, DU1/OE3SGU
PARL INC - C/O du1vhy
Hans J. Slawik, AB5OO
Jaehee Go
Renault C. Herrera, DU7RH
Glenn Velasco, DU1PRV
Alberto Villanueva, DU1AV
Nas Ona, DU1ON
After the storm
Equipment has also been donated, with the help of Stanley
Jungleib WA6LVC;
• Alinco SR8 HF transceiver with matching tuner, power
supply and antenna.
• From K - Trask Whitman Amateur Radio Club, 4 pcs
Baofeng VHF/UHF handhelds.
ARRL found it difficult to send gear but forwarded US$4,000
for equipment . Thanks to Mike Corey KI1U, David Sumner
K1ZZ and the ARRL.
After the storm
• Preparations are being made for the next typhoon season.
Net calls are in earnest, recruiting additional net control
stations, and many are preparing their stations.
• There is a new Board of Trustees. The new PARA Chief
Operating Officer is Thelma Pascua DU1IVT. Procuring
equipment from the ARRL donation will be a priority.
• PARA HQ will hopefully get new mast and antenna at the
Boys Scouts of the Philippines Centre building.
• The Amateur Radio Consultative Panel will resume its work
as soon as NTC issues the new Memorandum Circular
designating its members.
Acknowledgements
This presentation is the work of the many involved in the
Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) disaster.
Appreciation is extended to them all in telling this story.
Thanks in particular to Ramon Anquilan DU1UGZ, Thelma
Pascua DU1IVT, and the Board of PARA.
Jim Linton VK3PC
Chairman IARU Region 3 Disaster Communications Committee.