Isles FM

<![CDATA[ Isles FM is our local radio station, which broadcasts from a studio in Stornoway. The studio used to be an old boatshed. The station has been going for some years, I think it's getting on for 9 years now, and it's run entirely by volunteers. Some people regard it as a bit of a joke, but in actual fact the station came into its own at the time of the hurricane in January 2005. The power was off in many parts of Lewis, including at Eitsal, where the transmitters for radio and TV are located. The only radio station operating in the island was Isles FM, which remained on air although its aerial was damaged. The information it relayed included warnings from the council, for instance not to venture into the Castle Grounds due to large numbers of fallen trees, or trees that were perched in a precarious position. Closure notices of schools were broadcast, and also updates on the power situation. The workers from Scottish and Southern Electricity, who supply power up here, listened to the station to know where there were still outages. In that way, they were able to focus their attentions on specific lines and areas. As a mark of appreciation, they donated