Power or no power, trained Alabama Baptist disaster relief volunteers are always able to communicate with the main command center at any point, even if it means using a ham radio.
And with situations like the massive amount of cell towers and landlines down following the April 27 tornado outbreak in the state, this type of communication definitely comes in handy.
Once all forms of communication are back functioning again, the communications resources connected to disaster relief include the more routine e-mailing, faxing and Internet use.
In most cases, a communications unit is deployed separately from the other units but the volunteers in this role are trained to handle the appropriate equipment needed to provide whatever communication is needed during a disaster and the following relief response.
The Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions is unique, however, because it has a 53-foot semitruck trailer that serves as a feeding/communications unit all in one.
It is fully self-contained with ham radio, a computer bank with Internet connection, water purification, propane for food preparation and a diesel generator.
The unit is currently deployed to Broadway Baptist Church, Rainsville, as part of the disaster relief efforts following the tornado devastation in the state.
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