The Ham Heroes of West Bengal Radio Club: Agent of Disaster Response and Crisis Resilience
摘要
Climate change is a severe threat to the planet; the undercurrents that often develop in the early stages are overlooked and with time, widespread catastrophes and unprecedented crises unfold. The moment a disaster strikes, consequences emerge; enormity of repercussions extend to a larger environment, evacuation and public safety becomes a crucial concern, in the absence of which hefty prices are paid by communities in danger. To overcome the consequences and to tackle the challenges smoothly, communication plays a key role. Data gathering specific to vulnerable zones, timely updation and quick transmission of warnings and alerts are some of the significant steps in crisis handling. Public address systems and telecommunication infrastructures fail to respond due to incompatibility and signal loss, hindering response from peripheral adjoining locations. It is then that setting up an alternative route to record quick response delivery and feedback is prioritised. In comparison to official public communication systems, amateur radio transmits on a variety of frequencies and have the ability to reach much farther distances. Hence amateur radio operators are seen to acquire better control of circumstances during disasters. Amateur Radio operators are able to establish communication links that allow quick coordination, facilitating widespread relief efforts (Townsend and Moss, 2005). Although this technological aspect of communications has been popular and there in the milieu for centuries, there is a scarcity of academic research on amateur radio. The existing academic literature primarily examines the period from the early to mid-20th Century (Slotten, 2006; Lippmann, 2010; Brinson, 2002; Bulkeley, 1999; Haring, 2003). Wireless communication technology has provided assistance to communities globally by enabling information exchange during emergencies in various disaster situations. Amateur Radio Communication Technology (ARCT), as a wireless communication method, is frequently utilized for contingency communication in emergency situations across various nations, including the USA, Japan, Thailand, the Netherlands, and Canada (Laster, 2001; Khan et al., 2014). Ham Radio has proven to be an effective solution for communication and recovery efforts during events like Aila, Hudhud, earthquakes in Gujarat and Nepal, as well as floods in Uttarakhand, India. Numerous cases illustrate how marginalized communities and underserved populations are often the most affected. This chapter will examine the role of amateur emergency communications played by the West Bengal Radio Club in collaboration with other institutions as an inclusive communication vehicle for disaster management, crisis control and humanitarian support. In addition to that, the theory of collaborative advantage will be addressed and applied to the partnership between the West Bengal Radio Club, Kolkata and other institutions, government, and corporate bodies in order to accurately evaluate the standard operating procedures and impact of this alliance. This chapter can become a valuable resource for future studies of amateur radio as a communication tool in institutions of variable sector and marginalised remote locations. This is a qualitative study that will employ interviews with ham radio operators of West Bengal Radio Club as a method of data collection. This exploratory case study will add a further dimension by comprehending how ham radio groups and practices place women, gender minorities and marginalised groups in the society. It adds to the limited academic study of amateur radio operators and public service today, it further tests the theory of collaborative advantage, and this could educate the public and other nonprofit organizations about the valuable service amateur radio can provide. This will help the organizations aid victims of natural disasters with enhanced preparedness.