10/04/2024

Editor's note:ÿ The following story was submitted by Don Gardner, W7PJ, ARRL
Idaho Section Emergency Coordinator.





On the evening of September 21, 2024, Greg Owen, WX7Z, heard an amateur radio
emergency call on the VHF frequency known as the national simplex calling
frequency, 146.52 MHz. Ed Clark, K7ELC, was calling to get medical help for a
51-year-old man who had rolled his four-wheeler.

Mac Mackintosh, W7ENZ, found the accident and injured man near his property
where there isn't any cellphone service. Mackintosh had given his handheld
radio to Clark to make the call for help while he gave aid to the injured man.
The injuries were serious... head trauma, broken collarbone, broken ribs, and
difficulty breathing.

Owen called 911 to request help. An ambulance, Life Flight helicopter and law
enforcement were dispatched to the location, which was 35 minutes outside
Orofino, Idaho. Meanwhile, Owen continued using the amateur radio to relay
updates to the dispatcher. The injured man was transported to the hospital via
Life Flight and at last report was recovering.

Gardner said hams in Idaho support an old national program called the
Wilderness Protocol which encourages the use of the national simplex calling
frequency, 146.52 MHz.





"As amateur radio operators, we train to be available to help when help is
needed. The more that ham radio operators listen to the radio, the more chance
there is that someone will be listening to take your emergency call. This is
something that has been used many times throughout this county and here in
Idaho," he said. "This is another incredible story to share."

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