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VAN NUYS, Calif. — Preparing for the worst and hoping it never happens — that’s the order of the day for Michael Schlenker, who is perched atop San Vicente Mountain Park on a Saturday morning. He is a volunteer with the Los Angeles Fire Department Auxiliary Communications Service, which is comprised of more than 100 amateur ham radio operators spread across four bureaus.
When all else fails during a disaster, they jump into action.
That is exactly why the group is so valuable to the LAFD for backup communications. On this day, he led a three-hour drill across the Southland, relaying fire and medical calls, just as they would during a disaster…
