Steve Ikuta, (left) the emergency management coordinator for Intermountain Healthcare’s southwest region, Bob Vosper (middle) and Jim Ashby (right) of the Washington County Emergency Amateur Radio Service, posing by Dixie Regional's newest back communications system, St. George, Utah, Feb. 6, 2013 | Photo courtesy of Bob Vosper, Washington County Amateur Radio Emergency Service

ST. GEORGE – On Wednesday, Intermountain Healthcare Southwest Region’s Dixie Regional Medical Center completed installation of two special antennae on the building that serve as a part of its backup communications system powered by amateur radio.

“We’re pretty pleased with this,” said Bob Vosper, technical manager for Washington County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (WCARES).

Much of Intermountain’s communications system is Internet-based, Vosper said. If the web goes down, a possible communications blackout could occur. To counter this potential problem,  the hospital arranged for WCARES to install an amateur radio broadcast system as a back up that can function without the aid of the Internet or local radio repeaters. The system will also be able to broadcast large blocks of text over amateur radio bands.

“IHC is dependent on the web for some of its communication,” Vosper said. Other backup systems were already in place, he said, “this is just an added redundancy.”

Related

• When all else fails, Washington County Amateur Radio is there

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