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ARESLAX and 7.2 Baja Earthquake

Los Angeles County experienced earthquake shock waves from the 7.2 Baja earthquake at approximately 03:50 PM Easter Sunday. The earthquake waves were observed as a slow rolling motion lasting a total of 20 to 45 seconds. The ARRL Los Angeles Section ARES (ARESLAX) immediately activated its emergency net. Amateur operators from all over the Los Angeles Section began checking in. Damage reports and field intelligence were encouraged. No reports of commercial communications outages were reported, nor major damage or other utilities outages. Monitoring the ARESLAX activity were personnel from the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, the county hospital EOC. There were no requested served agency activations at that time.

ARRL elected officials and appointees who participated in the net included Marty Woll N6VI, Vice Director, Jim Curio KI6FGV, Southwest DEC, Eric Christensen K6EJC, Northwest DEC, Dennis Oszuscik KI6UNC, Northeast ADEC, Dean Cuadra WA6P, and David Greenhut N6HD, Los Angeles Section Manager, as well as many other ARES members and visitors (*see list below).

Following the initial section wide emergency net, ARESLAX Spanish-speaking operators was asked to monitor the HF bands for possible traffic from the disaster area. ARES operator Dr. Armando Montalvo KI6TAA was able to make immediate contact with XE2FMS in Mexicali, Mexico, as well as mobile stations XE2DZZ and XE2BRL. Initial reports indicated that the disaster area stations were without electricity and there was major road damage. Specifically, the major highway between Mexicali and Tijuana suffered severe thrust fault damage. ARESLAX forwarded at least one report to USGS for response coordination. ARESLAX continues to monitor the situation.

The Los Angeles Section Amateur Radio Emergency Service continues to need licensed amateur radio operators. If you are interested in using your radio skills to benefit the community please consider joining our organization. For more information or to join please go to our ARES page. Get involved!

-- April 2010