WA6OPS

Episode 22 - April Moell - WA6OPS

In 1980, when the hospital where she worked had a phone system failure, April Moell, WA6OPS, gave a call to local hams to come provide support. She discovered that hospitals in every community frequently have communications failures that risk the lives and safety of patients. Thirty years after founding the Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, April and her group now provide emergency communications to over 34 hospitals in her area.  Join Eric, 4Z1UG, in his QSO Today with WA6OPS.

---

Read More

Listen to Podcast

Married to: Joe Moell, K0OV - author of books and articles on transmitter hunting and radio location

First Licensed: WA6OPS, 1976

First Rig: Drake TR33C, 2 meter portable.  

Quote: "Its not a hobby any more, its a life style."  

B1RD - Pet cockatoo named Romeo

Hospital Disaster Support Communications System, (HDSCS for short)
website

• First organized in 1980 as a response to PBX failure at St. Jude Hospital in Fullerton, California. 
  
• Now provides emergency support 34 hospitals in Orange County, California
  
• Hospital Incident Command System - now a standard developed by Paul Russell, KD6COP
• HICS213 message form
  
• Patient Privacy, HIPAA, and Amateur Radio Communication
• National Drug Code Directory - "NDC"

Takeaways: 

• hams should respond to emergencies only if they are a part of an organized group
  
• training is key to organized response  
  
• hospitals have communications emergencies 
  
• hospitals have non-emergencies - maintenance intervals on electric and telephone systems
  
• non-emergency standby operations are great training exercises
  
• "I don't know why you call your foks amateurs when they are so professional"
  
• Hams as pro-active listeners and observers for busy hospital staff
  

What's in April's "Go Kit"

• VHF and UHF Portable radio
  
• Batteries to last hours
  
• Folding J-Pole antenna
  
• headset or ear phones
  
• medications, food, and water
  
• RF adapters
  
• Article on the official HDSCS Go Kit

---

The RSS Feed for all audio content from QSO today is available from here. 

Please join our QSO Today community by pressing the button below. It is the best way to suggest guests and topics, and provide feedback to Eric, 4Z1UG.

Join Our QSO Today Community

Drake TR-33C 2 meter (1970s)

HDSCS at work in a local hospital

Field Day at Huntington Beach Hospital

April on the radio