Butler County Amateur Radio Public Service Group members, from left, Denny Stokes, Tom McCracken and Tom Grasso try to contact fellow ham radio operators during the group's Field Day June 22 in Winfield Township.

Most people were too busy enjoying the beautiful weather to notice, but Butler County was hit with a disaster last weekend that knocked out both telephone and cell service.

In a field in Winfield Township, a group worked to set up antennas and restore communications around the county so police and fire departments and emergency responders could coordinate rescue efforts.

At least that was the scenario set up on the June 22 Field Day of the Butler County Amateur Radio Public Service Group, a 24-hour drill simulating just such a scenario.

The exercise ran from noon June 22 to noon June 23, said Julian Savage, the president of the Butler County Amateur Radio PSG. He planned to be up the whole 24 hours with the 12 to 15 other club members taking part in the drill. The group has 36 active members.

“We participate in emergency drills. We will participate in heavy weather drills where we want as many stations as possible to check in,” said Savage.

This is an excerpt of a story that appears in Sunday's Butler Eagle.