CVAN DISASTER SIMULATION ON TV

A Torrance group consisting of CVAN, CERT and TARA volunteers had a rare opportunity to be filmed for Torrance Cable TV Channel 3. This was a true scramble to perform on February 15, 2005 with a very tight turn around schedule. What we did was SIMULATE a 7.5 earthquake in the North Torrance area). The filming began at the CVAN Amateur Radio station located in the RSVP office in downtown Torrance. Emergency calls started coming in to the CVAN station at approximately 1400 hours from TARA/Ham operators), who were out in the field. TARA members transmitted reports to the CVAN operator. These reports contained important information such as dangerous situations around the area (i.e. damaged buildings, downed power lines, and more importantly, injured persons, etc. The CVAN operator documented the data from the TARA operators and located the trouble spots on the map and transmitted the data to the TARA folks (Torrance Amateur Radio Association) whose station is located in the Torrance Police Department. The police department will then have all the information they need to dispatch proper assistance.

Our film director, Seth Browning and our camera guy (only known to me as Ed), and all of the volunteers moved to the second location where an elaborate buffet lunch was served…opps……. that did not happen …too much TV influence I guess. Where was I, oh yes, to the second location in front of some of our North Torrance residents’ homes. Our Neighborhood Volunteers moved into action doing a door to door inquiry for any injured persons and scanned the properties for possible outward dangers before proceeding. When the injured were identified, our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) was called to the scene to aid the citizens with injuries. Before you knew it, there were simulated injured volunteers, CERT members, Neighborhood Volunteers and TARA/Ham operators all over the lawn of this little quiet Torrance neighborhood. We hope that we did not frighten any of the wonderful people in that little Torrance community. I know one young girl who was crouched in the garden window (how did she do that?) peering out at all of us. This reporter would like to thank all of the folks who volunteered with the cable TV project, including the cable TV crew. You were given very short notice to prepare and as always, did not let any of us down. And, of course, all of your performances were right up there, deserving of an academy award, to say the least.

Thanks again folks.

Hope Witkowsky, Chuck Lobb, Richard Whited, Bob Avakian, Dan Palamino, Ges Davis, Sher Waters, Evelyn Stevens, Val Clark, Verna Thaxton, Caroline Elam Ray Garosano