Low-tech Radios Helping to Connect Haitians

In the everyday world people love their cellphones, computers and other forms of communications but the people of Haiti found out after their Jan. 12 earthquake that low tech became the only tech way to communicate.

In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake Jean-Robert Gaillard found himself turning to a low-tech radio as his lifeline. The 57-year-old found out that the normal methods of communication were no longer working. Gaillard borrowed his neighbor's generator to power his amateur radio to touch base with other enthusiasts in the United States. It was through his ham-radio that Gaillard was able to let his family members in the United States know that he had survived. Even after the 9/11 attacks in New York City cell towers were clogged and the other way for people to get in contact with family to let them know they were okay was through the use of radio waves and in many cases the use of touch-to-talk like Nextel radios. Enthusiasts and supports of amateur radios feel that events like this only reinforce the fact that aid groups and governments should rely heavily on radio communication during disaster situations. Immediately following the disaster ham operators in Florida were able to connect with Haitians and were able to relay information to family and emergency organizers. Ham radio operators are very similar to a fraternity or brotherhood in that they communicate with each other and help each other out, as they did in Haiti in the past 12 days. More information can be found at cnn.com