Roland Patnode, 1972
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, April 27, 1972Born:
Married: Jackie Jones
Children: Tammy Patnode
Roland Patnode was a son of Oliver Patnode of Onchiota. He was a Korean War veteran. He became an electronic engineer, and built communication systems for the New York State Police at Ray Brook and for the Department of Environmental Conservation. He also formed the Tri-Lakes Amateur Radio Club, providing communication services for events like the Willard Hanmer Guideboat Race, the Adirondack Canoe Classic (90-miler) and the Lake Placid Ironman.
He served as President of the St. Bernard's Parent-Educators
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August 14, 1963
Roland Patnode of 32 Neil Street, Saranac Lake has qualified to repair two-way communications systems. Two-way communications encompass intricate and elaborate equipment which extends around the world and into space. It requires highly trained personnel to maintain it. He is licensed by the government and holds a Federal Communications Commission license and a second license which qualified him to operate in ama- [the story ends there]
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, April 27, 1972
‘Search and Rescue Unit’ Comes to Ray Brook in Van
RAY BROOK — After 2 years of intensive planning and study the sparkling new N. Y. State Department of Environmental Conservation Fire Search and Rescue Mobile Headquarters of Region 5, Ray Brook is ready to take its place as an integral part of the state's growing force for rescue work.
The Adirondack Park is perhaps New York's most concentrated area subject to various emergencies what with huge forest lands, lakes by the hundreds and a tourist army of thousands making themselves blissful targets for potential tragedy.
The Saranae Inn shop has been a busy assembly center for the 30 foot steel van, which was one of three available state trailers.
But starting from the outside it has been completely rebuilt with added internal structuring and contains three rooms capable of supplying communications help in times of fire, lost persons and similar time-related incidents. It will eliminate an existing three day communications breach.
In fact, in times of extreme stress, four individual bosses and department heads could man a double switchboard and coordinate every possible source of help with no duplication of command.
There is an adequate system to forestall power failure with a monitoring panel reporting the performance level of the generator and registers when it needs recharging. Battery units can take over the generator functions immediately.
Materials have been available through surplus sources combined with the efficiency of Roland Patnode District Radio Communications supervisor and Robert Nasra, Assistant District Ranger.
These men have thought of every possible loophole discovered through years of encountering field problems, and have provided solutions on the drawing board before incorporating it in the bright red vehicle.
It has a 40 foot tower radio antennae with winch and pulley put together by Morris Vibert, another specialty artist whose talents were cornandeered foi various mechanical artifacts.
It boasts a 3000 watt generator removable to a distance from the van. A strong Public Address system, exhaust fans, auxiliary batteries, intercom system, water supply, a vertical cork mapboard and full map supply in specia1 storage units, fluroescent lighting and vented heating system!
At the rear compartment is a kitchen equipped with gas and electric referigation, a four burner gas stove, food cabinets a 40 quart water tank, hinged serving tray and beneath the kitchen a large storage unit for necessary emergency equipment.
Don Morgan lettered the red van with white letters and placed the Ecology emblem in prominent positions.
The beauty of the vehicle is that it was a labor of love looking extremely professional and one which utilized the construction talents of many men in the Conservation Department.
It may see service extremely soon now as warm weather comes on. It will not be taken into wooded areas but parked on main high-ways nearest the emergency activity being handled. The radio and communications hookups will give it accessibility without hard usage.
Other regional departments are sure to feel a qualm of jealousy about the Region 5 truck and follow suit if they can.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, September 21, 1976
A family reunion dinner was held on Sept. 15 at the home of Oliver Patnode of Onchiota. It was the,first time in many years that the whole family had been together. Mr. Patnode recently celebrated his 86th birthday. Those attending the dinner were Mildred Patnode, Mrs. Richard (Geneva) Goldnep, Mr. and Mrs. Walt Patnode, Mr. and Mrs. Francis Patnode and daughters Peggy and Betty Jo, Mr., and Mrs. Raymond Patnode and sons, Scott, Matt, and Eddie, Mr. and Mrs. Roland Patnode and daughter Tammy, Harold and Robert Patnode, and Mrs. Elmira Young.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, January 27, 1996
Amature Radio Notes
TRI-LAKES -- There is a new voice in the Heart of the Adirondack Mountains of New York state. The Black Fly Amateur Radio Club, a “HAM” radio operator's group founded in April 1995, put its new repeater on the air Christmas Eve. What a great Christmas present for the members who worked so hard to make their own repeater a reality. Special thanks to Roland Patnode, N2CNY, and Jerry Silver, N2ZGN 4 for their efforts into the wee hours of the morning.
The repeater is located in Saranac Lake and operates on a frequency of 145.310 with a negative offset.
The Black Fly ARC is an ARRL affiliated club with a membership of 39 at the present time and possesses the club call of KB2WNK. Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Lake Placid and other adjoining communities will be served by this new repeater.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise,
Saranac Lake man honored by Red Cross for outstanding service
SARANAC LAKE - On Nov. 3, Roland Patnode of Saranac Lake was awarded the New York State Red Cross Outstanding Emergency Services Volunteer award.
Present to share in his excitement was Jackie, his wife of 52 years and co-DAT team members Charles Brumley and his wife, Karen. Joanne Bilodeau-Clement and Carol LaChance were there representing the North Country Chapter of the American Red Cross.
At the New York state confer- ence there were six state level awards to recognize volunteers: Lifetime Achievement, Outstanding Emergency Services, Outstanding Community Services, Outstanding Leadership, Outstanding Blood Services and the New York State High School Volunteer Award. The North Country Chapter's staff and volunteers said that Roland sets the standard.
There were dozens of nomina- tions in each category, The criteria to be nominated for this award included demonstrating imagination and extraordinary effort in developing creative solutions to conditions or problems at the community or state level; to organize and direct an activity of exceptional importance and complexity; to have substantial volunteer service with Red Cross but length of service alone, was not considered as qualifying.
Chapters had the opjwrtunity to nominate someone in their area for each category.
Patnode was nominated for several reasons: He spent hundreds of hours on the development of a chapter-wide communication network; he designed and built the chapter's repeater, did all the leg work, received fimding from local interested parties to pay for the project and organized and provided communications for local events as part of the chapter’s community involvement pogram.
Dedicated to his role as disaster action team coordinator, he never tires of working to irrrprove the disaster services end of the Chapter's mission, said a press release. He greatly enjoys working. with the team and “giving back” to the community. He constantly encourages others to get involved, join the team and become part of something, bigger than their self. At the same time he encourages some to become licensed amateur radio operators thereby increasing the Amateur Radio Relay League's numbers.
Many operators come with a variety of professional skills. Adding communications to their list of accomplishments lets the Chapter place them in dual roles during a disaster.
Patnode's passion also runs to the Adirondack Carousel board where he devotes time to assisting in the creation of a unique Adirondack carousel experience to the children of Saranac Lakc. The carousel will be decorated with all hand-carved wooden Adirondack creatures in a variety of colors.
Patnode emcourages cooperation, dedication and a strong spirit of camradarie. His desire to put differences aside,” “work together” and “give back” to the community is a constant.
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