<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"></head><body>APRS is used annually in Black Rock City, Nevada, for fire and EMS resource management at the BurningMan Arts Festival. Scott Miller would have more details about that, as he designed and built the hardened trackers used in that rather hostile environment.<div><br></div><div>Alas, I wasn't able to be personally involved, as I couldn't get the necessary additional features into my YAAC software on the short notice I had, so they used another application, Depiction, as the display console.</div><div><br></div><div>Whether this sort of application has been obsoleted by Project 25 comm systems, I can't say.</div><div><br></div><div>Andrew, KA2DDO </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><br><br>-------- Original message --------<br>From: Bill Vodall <wa7nwp@gmail.com> <br>Date: 10/18/16 8:14 PM (GMT-05:00) <br>To: TAPR APRS Mailing List <aprssig@tapr.org> <br>Subject: [aprssig] Fwd: Help for First Responders <br><br>Do we have any real life examples of APRS being used in real events?<br>It still seems APRS is ideal for tactical operations but it's<br>generally unused - at least from what I've seen here - out side of<br>Montana...<br><br>Bill<br><br><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: Ev Tupis <w2ev@yahoo.com><br>Date: Tue, Oct 18, 2016 at 11:01 AM<br>Subject: Re: [aprssig] Fwd: [wl2kemcomm] Help for First Responders<br>To: TAPR APRS Mailing List <aprssig@tapr.org><br><br><br>How funny that I was contemplating how to open this thread...and you<br>did the deed for me, Bill! ;-)<br><br>I would like to read stories of how APRS has been used to support<br>Emergency First Responders (EmComm, Health/Wellfare, SAR ... not<br>"public service" tracking of relay runners or balloon tracking).<br><br>I would also be interested in learning if any APRS software authors<br>have written EmComm-focused apps that rely on APRS as its' foundation.<br><br>Ev, W2EV<br><br>PS: Googling "APRS EMCOMM" doesn't turn up much of value in this<br>regard...but I'm pleased to see that my article from EmComm East a few<br>years ago popped up. ;-)<br><br>________________________________<br>From: Bill Vodall <wa7nwp@gmail.com><br>To: TAPR APRS Mailing List <aprssig@tapr.org><br>Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 12:07 PM<br>Subject: [aprssig] Fwd: [wl2kemcomm] Help for First Responders<br><br>I suggested APRS as an tool for this situation described below...<br><br>It is often surprising how APRS is not even considered in many EmComm<br>situation when it (APRS) seems like such a good fit.<br><br>There's much to be done with the user interface and messaging needs to<br>be fixed - but the opportunity is here to provide an awesome useful<br>Ham Radio service.<br><br>10 years ago we had a storm in the Puget Sound region that knocked out<br>power for days - weeks for some. It was during those five long cold<br>days that I came to consider APRS as the ultimate Ham communications<br>technology. Today I believe that even stronger...<br><br>73<br>Bill, WA7NWP<br><br><br>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br><wl2kemcomm@yahoogroups.com><br>Date: Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 3:00 PM<br>Subject: [wl2kemcomm] Help for First Responders<br>To: wl2kemcomm@yahoogroups.com<br><br><br>I was approached by a Deputy today asking what we (Amateur Radio) had<br>to offer to address a problem.<br><br>IF/WHEN we have a big disaster (Cascadia Earthquake/Tsunami), First<br>Responders rightfully need to first see to the safety of their own<br>families. Only then are they free to attend to their professional<br>responsibilities.<br><br>In such an event, phones will be out, both landline and cellular,<br>repeaters for Public Service and Amateur VHF/UHF radio will be out,<br>and internet other than satellite dish will be out. Much of the County<br>communications is by linked microwave.<br><br>Our terrain is rugged, with narrow valleys and many areas where<br>simplex VHF/UHF radio just does not reach.<br><br>How are other areas handling this need? How can a Sheriff’s<br>Deputy/Firefighter/Police Officer most reliably reach his family for a<br>status check to enable him to attend to his job?<br><br>KF7RSF<br>_______________________________________________<br>aprssig mailing list<br>aprssig@tapr.org<br>http://www.tapr.org/mailman/listinfo/aprssig<br></body></html>