FOR A GOOD CAUSE -- Gordon West

Deepa Bharath

COSTA MESA -- A piece of black lava rock from Hawaii is a lot more

than an ember from the mouth of a volcano.

At least it is for Gordon West.

The little souvenir sits atop the 58-year-old ham operator’s worldwide

radio -- the very equipment he used to convey good news to a local

resident: that her parents were safe after Hurricane Iniki wiped out a

good portion of Hawaii in September 1992.

West is a volunteer for the city who conducts training classes for

Neighborhood Watch groups and interested community members.

Radio communication for West has been a career, passion, hobby and a

way to serve the community.

He is a freelance writer who contributes to boating and radio

magazines. He has also clocked thousands of hours over the last 35 years

as a volunteer for the American Red Cross and affiliated service

organizations.

“The gratification comes from being able to support individuals at a

time of crisis -- individuals unable to make a phone call to a loved

one,” he said.

West remembers making calls recently to inform relatives of people at

a Costa Mesa senior center when they were evacuated and sent to the local

community center after a bomb threat on 18th Street.

West works out of his Costa Mesa home, which is filled with thousands

of dollars worth of radios -- from small two-way radios to big satellite

and worldwide radios. The walls of his transmitting room are covered with

maps showing call signs and time and frequency zones.

Also on the wall is his award from the Red Cross as Disaster Volunteer

of the Quarter, from the summer of 1999.

For West, it all boils down to doing what he loves to do the most --

helping people.

“It gives me great satisfaction,” he said, “to be able to bridge that

communication gap between people.”