Besides enjoying a great meal, members at the IRG annual meeting in Doaktown on April 29, 2018 dealt with the following items:
- Members voted to renew the agreements with Horizon and Vitalité health systems and Department of Health. The agreement formalizes the support from the IRG to these served agencies, and amateur radio equipment at hospitals is being upgraded thanks to cooperation from DTI and EMO and other departments.
- An update on the flooding situation on the St. John River was provided, including activities at the activated Regional and Provincial Emergency Operation Centres (EOC).
- Plans for the upcoming "Brunswick Alpha 2018" exercise were discussed. The June 13 exercise will simulate a hurricane affecting municipalities, and amateur radio will be active at several EOC's.
- Members voted to maintain the Miramichi Area VHF Net. Concerns were express that the linking of additional zones inhibits use of the system in zones outside the Miramichi area.
- Addition of EchoLink and IRLP: Progress has been delayed due to loss of a dedicated internet connection required at the site, but work on this will continue.
- The IRG continues to upgrade repeaters as equipment becomes available.
- The new IRG web site (ve9irg.net) and e-mail newsletter is now operational, and processing of membership renewal information is getting back on track.
- An application to expand the APRS river gauge program was not granted under the Environmental Trust Fund fund, but a new application will be made in the future.
- Officers for 2018-2019 were elected: President - Rick MacMillan (VE9MTB); Vice-President - Dennis MacDonald (VE9AAE); and Secretary-Treasurer - Gordon Boone (VE9GB). Thanks go out to past Vice-President Yvon Hachey (VE1VON) whose term expired.
- Plans for the NB Power / EMO exercise "Synergy Challenge 2018" are underway. The exercise will take place on October 3 and 4, 2018, and will simulate a response to a nuclear release from the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generation Station, and the recovery phase. Dozens of agencies and over a thousand participants will be involved, including the IRG.
- Next meeting tentative planned for September 30 2018 at Upper Kingsclear (to be confirmed).
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