PLEASANT GROVE — You could say Lynn Hadfield's latest hobby is being prepared to save lives.
The evidence is in Hadfield's "jump kit," packed with everything he needs to leave home and set up ham radio communications at an emergency location.
The equipment, the spare batteries and his personal expertise are the keys to setting up the Amateur Liaison Emergency Radio Team — a squad of fellow ham radio operators who would come to Pleasant Grove's aid in a disaster.
"Regular telephone lines are land-lined, with the lines either hung on poles or laid underground," Hadfield said.
After an earthquake the phone lines could be destroyed or disrupted. Even if they aren't, he said, the crush of everyone picking up their phones at the same time is likely to overload the system.
Cellular phones face similar vulnerabilities and are limited by the number of users that can be served at one time, Hadfield said.
"As soon as these two systems go down, everyone will be on their own. The city is essentially blind," Hadfield said.
The objective of ALERT, is to organize trained ham radio operators who can "provide eyes" in all parts of the city.
Ideally, Hadfield said, each radio operator will be able to remain at home and transmit information to alert officials to problems in Pleasant Grove or nearby Lindon.
Some information will come through "packetized radio bursts" that link through computers to provide information lists such as phone numbers, addresses or names of residents in a particular area.
The ALERT system sets up a grid with members reporting to designated representatives who then forward information to a net operator. Hadfield expects to be the net operator and plans to operate out of the city's fire station to relay pertinent data.
"If there's a compromise of the canal or a major fire, for instance, that would take priority over the smaller things," Hadfield said.
ALERT operators will be trained at a three-day course. They would also participate in periodic practice scenarios to keep up their skills.
Hadfield said those wishing to participate need not be experienced operators. He said the team is open to both men and women and age is not necessarily a factor.
"We want people who, with a minimal amount of time investment, will become trained so that in a disaster they will be a valuable asset to themselves, their family and their community," Hadfield said.
Hadfield and his wife are both pushing for better community disaster readiness. Dawn Hadfield is encouraging the city to adopt a disaster-preparedness program that provides quarterly training for the community.
"I think one of the greatest frustrations is wanting to help and not knowing how," Lynn Hadfield said. "We're providing an easy way to know exactly how to help."
Anyone interested in participating with ALERT is asked to call Hadfield at 785-6141. The first meeting will be April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Community Development Center.
E-MAIL: haddoc@desnews.com