amateur Radio and what we do in an emergency

Many of you most likely seen the funny looking antenna's with the strange license plates like AA8WK or maybe K8HGY ect. these citizen's serve a very important role, when disasters strikes we are hard at work setting up generator's and batteries, with radio's to serve the public , as you remember the new Orleans, with the storms they has here a while back, The Red Cross and Amateur radio was there, the amateur radio operator's were the one's who provided the communication for the local' ;aw enforcement and Fire, medical and what have you ,they also aid in the search of missing loved ones, that may have been in other camp site (Shelters) and getting them reunited with there families, we have an emergency plan with the power plant and WTI along with the Skywarn program many of us amateur operators belong too. when we see fire's like houses or grass fire, we are there to call the emergency service into activation, I was on the Radio Net, taking note's and check ins of weather spotters in the area, when that big storm came in the other night. my report had over 9 pages of activity being reported like water flooding or limbs down or power outage's with road closing and rain and thunder and lightning reports and any other damages that may have occurred plus we have rescue crews out helping stranded cars that was in the flooding. so when the next time you see us with those funny antenna's and strange license plates you will know who we our, most of us belong the the Amateur radio emergency services called ARES many will display the stickers of that on there cars . so this is Walter Kernaich Jr Secretary/treasurer of the Columbiana County amateur radio club. saying 73's from AA8WK.