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It was a bright and beautiful day for an antenna raising onn 07-23-2005.  The Lancaster & Fairfield County Amateur Radio Club, in co-operation with EME, continued their project of populating each fire department in the county with two-way 2-meter FM communications for emergency use.  The project calls for installing a 4 element beam at each firehouse in the county and point it to Fairfield Medical Center. This will allow an operator from the club to go to each firehouse and have direct communications with the local hospital and the Fairfield County Sheriff’s Office, should regular communications be interrupted.

Because of a special grant from Homeland Security, our club was able to accelerate this project with the funds used for antennas and hardware that we needed so badly. Pleasant Township Fire Department recently built a second fire station and today was their day to receive this installation.  Club President Charlie Snoke, N8KZN, and Station Engineer John Hilliard, W8OF, spearheaded the installation. They were accompanied by club members: Treasurer Ed Campbell Sr., WD8PGO; Don Stephenson, WD8PCF;  and Ralph Howes, W8BVH. Basil Fire District assisted with the antenna raising by bringing their ladder truck over so that Station Engineer, John Hilliard, could climb up and place the 2-meter beam at the top of their communication building. The project took about two and a half hours not counting the preparation time. Every organization, involved in this project, receives positive public relations as a side benefit. The friendships that are made during these installations go beyond hams. The firemen and other people that are helping at these sites all get to know each other a little bit better and this is a good thing.  Amateur radio is being a good neighbor.