His role as the associational mission strategist for the Marion Baptist Association doesn't require Mark Weible, N4GPA, to have a ham license - but Mark, a former pastor, took his FCC test successfully a year ago and since then he has been finding ways to harness ham radio's power for churches' emergency communications during hurricane season.

The Ocala, Florida Baptist association has already added a radio shack and has plans for a tower. Under Mark's direction, the group is also looking to create a network of hams within its 67 member churches. Pastors are helping Mark locate licensees within their congregations. Meanwhile, the association has a telescoping radio antenna donated after an upgrade done by the Marion Emergency Radio Team, a radio group Mark belongs to which handles disaster communications at the county's Emergency Operations Center.

Mark plans to give church leaders a tour of the association's radio shack in the hopes it will inspire them to install a shack for their own local congregations. He told the Baptist Press that church involvement makes good sense. He said [quote]: "If we were to have a hurricane, I’d need to know which churches have power, which churches are not damaged and which churches can host disaster relief teams. I’d need to know which churches need help and which ones can help.” [endquote] Meanwhile, he is busy being helpful even without a radio in hand. His chaplaincy training assists him in helping distraught families cope during or after disasters.