Winfield Boy Scout earns his Eagle badge with portable radio project
July 25, 2011
When Nathan Bartel designed his Eagle Scout project, the 18-year-old from Troop 21 in Cabot came up with something that was on a wavelength with Butler County officials: a portable case to house back-up emergency radio equipment for the county.
The case, about 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall, houses a mobile emergency radio center that police, fire, and medical officials can use in the event that an emergency disables normal communications.
"This could actually help people and save lives," Bartel said. "I think that's why I found it so interesting.
"You can just put it in the back of a truck or a van," he said, "and take it where it needs to go."
For now, the case and its equipment will be housed at the Winfield Municipal Building. In the future, it might be kept at the Butler County Emergency Services site.
It was Bartel's uncle, Tom McCracken a ham radio operator from Winfield who has done work with the county of Winfield, who showed him what an integral part radios perform in emergencies.
"I've grown up with my uncle," Bartel said. "He's always been around it and introduced it to me."
The equipment was paid for through a federal Department of Homeland Security grant. It came to Butler County Emergency Services, which gave some to Bartel for the project.
"This is brand new radio equipment," McCracken, said. "It won't be outdated for awhile. We'll be able to use it for a long time."
Bartel said the project took about a year to plan, and about six days for his team of scouts to complete construction on the box. He designed the case to hold the equipment securely and included folding handles for easy transport.
Butler County Emergency Services Director Frank P. Matis sees the portable equipment as an asset to the county. "It's a pretty nice project," Matis said. "It's a pretty aggressive project for an Eagle Scout."
Bartel got donations of supplies from local businesses and money from friends and family. Donations are one of the requirements of an Eagle Scout project and Bartel raised about $250, donating leftover funds to the Saxonburg Public Library, where he's volunteered.
A recent Knoch High School graduate, Bartel has been involved in scouting since the first grade. A recipient of the Cub Scouts highest honor, the Arrow of Light Award, and a member of the Order of the Arrow, the Boy Scouts national honor society, he will attend Butler County Community College in the fall. From there, he plans to transfer to a four-year college and study engineering.
But he plans to serve as a scout leader for Troop 21 while he's in college.
Hometown: Winfield
Family: Mother, Beverly Bartel
Favorite thing about the Valley: "The people I've met from my school and everything I've been involved in, the solid friendships I've made."
The case, about 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall, houses a mobile emergency radio center that police, fire, and medical officials can use in the event that an emergency disables normal communications.
"This could actually help people and save lives," Bartel said. "I think that's why I found it so interesting.
"You can just put it in the back of a truck or a van," he said, "and take it where it needs to go."
For now, the case and its equipment will be housed at the Winfield Municipal Building. In the future, it might be kept at the Butler County Emergency Services site.
It was Bartel's uncle, Tom McCracken a ham radio operator from Winfield who has done work with the county of Winfield, who showed him what an integral part radios perform in emergencies.
"I've grown up with my uncle," Bartel said. "He's always been around it and introduced it to me."
The equipment was paid for through a federal Department of Homeland Security grant. It came to Butler County Emergency Services, which gave some to Bartel for the project.
"This is brand new radio equipment," McCracken, said. "It won't be outdated for awhile. We'll be able to use it for a long time."
Bartel said the project took about a year to plan, and about six days for his team of scouts to complete construction on the box. He designed the case to hold the equipment securely and included folding handles for easy transport.
Butler County Emergency Services Director Frank P. Matis sees the portable equipment as an asset to the county. "It's a pretty nice project," Matis said. "It's a pretty aggressive project for an Eagle Scout."
Bartel got donations of supplies from local businesses and money from friends and family. Donations are one of the requirements of an Eagle Scout project and Bartel raised about $250, donating leftover funds to the Saxonburg Public Library, where he's volunteered.
A recent Knoch High School graduate, Bartel has been involved in scouting since the first grade. A recipient of the Cub Scouts highest honor, the Arrow of Light Award, and a member of the Order of the Arrow, the Boy Scouts national honor society, he will attend Butler County Community College in the fall. From there, he plans to transfer to a four-year college and study engineering.
But he plans to serve as a scout leader for Troop 21 while he's in college.
Nathan Bartel
Age: 18Hometown: Winfield
Family: Mother, Beverly Bartel
Favorite thing about the Valley: "The people I've met from my school and everything I've been involved in, the solid friendships I've made."
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