Local amateur or ham radio operators will take part in an emergency communications drill Saturday in Jackson County.
The drill will simulate response to an earthquake on the New Madrid fault line that could impact the area.
Seymour Amateur Radio Group will join Jackson County Emergency Management Agency in establishing radio communications in remote areas of the northwest and southwest parts of of the county.
Todd Baker, leader of SARG and an emergency coordinator volunteer, said the county’s emergency mobile command unit will be set up in the parking lot at the Seymour Police Department.
The drill will begin at 8 a.m. and last until noon. Baker said the Indiana Department of Homeland Security will be onsite evaluating the communications response efforts.
Ham radio operators will be disbursed to areas including Freetown, Maumee, Medora and Sparksville to set up communications for medical aid stations.
Participants will learn how to fill out Federal Emergency Management Agency-based activity logs, which provide details of communication incidents.
Although there are many licensed ham radio operators in the area, Baker said many of them aren’t active.
Baker said he would like to get more involvement from local ham radio operators. He’s interested in increasing membership in SARG. There are currently 16 members. The first meeting of the year will be Oct. 27.
"We aren’t a club, so there aren’t any dues," he said. "We’re just a group of individuals who like to discuss amateur radio operations and emergency communications."
For information about Saturday’s exercise or to join SARG, call Baker at 812-528-9254.