1. http://www.times-standard.com/local/ci_3364999#
Page 1 of 1 Feb 22, 2014 07:56:27PM MST
Local radio jocks keep county informed during storm
The Times-Standard Eureka Times Standard
Posted: Times-Standard.com
Perhaps they took a page from the U.S. Postal Service -- neither rain, nor sleet ...
Heavy rain, damaging winds and flooding did not keep KHUM off the air. And what they did was provide
Humboldt County with information on heavy rains, damaging winds and flooding.
Beginning with the first weather-related problems, KHUM DJs did what it takes to keep the public
informed. Despite Ferndale being cut off with no road access and no power, KHUM (104.3 FM and 104.7
FM) DJs found a way to stay on the air to keep the North Coast informed on road closures, river flooding,
and power outages.
KHUM DJs Larry Trask and John Matthews camped out in Ferndale, keeping the generator fueled and the
information flowing. In Eureka, Cliff and Amy Berkowitz and Mike Dronkers utilized the station's new
remote broadcast equipment to keep the broadcast coming from their homes. Amy Berkowitz, while still in
her pajamas, was up early New Year's morning giving KHUM listeners up-to-date information on the
storm's damage.
Station personnel were able to talk to authorities from local government, Pacific, Gas & Electric Co., and
Caltrans to keep the information flowing.
”It's important to let folks know just what the road conditions are and what people need to keep
themselves safe,” said Amy Berkowitz in a press release. “Being 100 percent local gives us a special
obligation to the local community.”
Cliff Berkowitz added, “It's not the four-day weekend off that we had planned for our employees, but
everyone really pulled together to make sure that we got the job done. John Matthews and Larry Trask
especially deserve medals for going way above and beyond by staying on-site and digging up the
information 48 hours straight.”