Joe Tokarz, the new head of the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service for La Salle County's Emergency Management Agency, is looking to put a spark into the organization.

Tokarz, of Ottawa, is an engineer at Exelon's La Salle nuclear generating plant south of Seneca. By his own estimate he has been involved with amateur radio for at least 15 years. He is an acknowledged amateur radio advocate.

"Joe's kind of a go-getter, to put it mildly," county EMA director Mike Jobst told the County Board's EMA committee in announcing the appointment.

For many amateur radio operators, nicknamed "hams," when disaster strikes their hobby starts being a vital public service. When telephone land lines and cell systems fail, amateur radio is an option for vital communications.

These emergencies can include natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, wildfires, power outages, floods, victim searches, air crashes

and many others.

During Hurricane Katrina, amateur radio helped fill in communications gaps. One radio operator was credited with helping arrange the rescue of 15 people trapped on rooftops in New Orleans.

Often the radio operators, like those in La Salle County, are part of a RACES group.

Q: Have amateur radio operators helped in a La Salle County emergency?

A: During the Utica tornado we acted as weather spotters prior to the tornado and then once the tornado hit we helped in providing communications because the cell phones were down.

Q: There are an estimated 6 million amateur radio operators worldwide. How many are there in La Salle County?

A: There are about 350 licensed amateur radio operators in La Salle County. The Starved Rock Radio Club has 60 members. But, generally speaking, it's about 20 volunteer amateur radio operators in La Salle and surrounding counties that are trained to help out in time of need.

Q: Is that enough?

A: We can always use more. And my focus right now is building up our membership by finding people who want to be ready to help in emergencies.

Q: Where have your volunteers being coming from?

A: The most recent wave of new members are from the Community Emergency Response Team classes. Once someone has their basic emergency training it's a pretty easy sell to explain that during a disaster or other emergency you may not have your phone -- and that having another means of communication is a good thing.

Q: You stress advance training.

A: Well, as you can imagine, during the emergency is a bad time to be getting your training. It's better to do it before and be prepared.

Q: How hard is it to become qualified?

A: Since 9/11 there have been some new training requirements. But the most important thing is the radio license. One of the requirements is you have to pass a federal 35-question multiple choice exam. Some of it is common sense, but there is some book work involved. That can sound kind of daunting, but the key is to work with someone as your mentor. I'd be more than happy to help somebody study as a mentor or coach.

Q: How much does it cost for an amateur radio?

A: Once you get that license, the equipment is anywhere from $100 to the sky's the limit. A lot of the hams in the county have extra equipment. If someone just wanted to borrow some ham radio equipment to take it out for a test drive, there are a lot of lot experienced guys willing to help out the newer guys -- and gals.

Q: Is there an age restriction on becoming licensed?

A: I had one student who got his license on his 10th birthday. Another guy was in his 70s. He was in a class I gave at the veterans home.

Q: What kind of group training is there?

A: On the last weekend in June we had a field exercise at Shabbona Park, north of Harding. We put up two 50-foot towers and antennas and made over 300 contacts with hams in the United States and Canada. And that was done with emergency power.

Q: Are there any upcoming events?

A: The Starved Rock Radio Club amateur radio operators will assist Scouts in making worldwide radio contacts during the Jamboree-On-The-Air on Saturday, Oct. 20, at Shabbona Park. Few people realize that each year more than 400,000 Scouts and Guides "get together" over the airwaves for the annual Jamboree-on-the-Air. We hope to make this the fifth year we contact former Scouts on the International Space Station.

Q: How about disaster training events?

A: Next April we will help with communications between the (the county's) emergency operations center and townships around the nuclear power plant as part of a biannual exercise.

Q: How can someone interesting in learning more get a hold of you?

A: They can e-mail me at KB9EZZ@arrl.net. Or they can see us in action at the jamboree at Shabbona Park.