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Subj: ARES E-Letter for June 16 2010
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From: CX2SA@CX2SA.LAV.URY.SA
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ARRL ARES E-Letter for June 16, 2010
Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE
The View from Flagler County
----------------------------
Many readers have asked about the "ARES¶© Code of Conduct" that was recently
promulgated here by the new leadership in the East Coast District, which
includes Flagler County, and Volusia County (Daytona Beach). The Code was
discussed in a recent issue, and it is reproduced below. Please note that
the set of principles only applies regionally; it is not an ARRL or
otherwise nationally-approved document. However, other ARES groups may be
interested in incorporating elements of the code in their own local programs.
The East Coast District ARES Code of Conduct
ARES members are the personification of Amateur Radio to the public and to
our governmental and quasi-governmental agencies whom we serve. As such, we
have elected to publish guidelines under which we expect ARES registered
volunteers will operate. Although these are not conditions for
participation, we strongly encourage each ARES member to abide by these
standards.
* ARES members will conduct themselves with respect and courtesy to those
whom we serve. We will be listeners and communicators.
* ARES members will not act as or be perceived as agents or employees of
the agencies whom we serve. We are a serving agency and have no authority to
act on behalf of the agency.
* ARES members will not use profanity, vulgar language or language or
expressions which may be considered derogatory when in public.
* ARES members will not park in restricted areas, unless specifically
authorized or invited to do so by the agencies we serve.
* ARES members will not use flashing lights while vehicles are underway,
since it is illegal in the State of Florida. Use of flashing yellow lights
is permitted only when vehicles are stationary for the purposes of collision
avoidance. If in doubt, please inquire with Net Control and they will
request clarification from the EOC.
* ARES members will not solicit contributions or gifts, merchandise or
services from any individuals or businesses while using the name of local
EOC's or the phrase Emergency Services. All solicitations using the name of
Flagler Emergency Services or Volusia Emergency Services (or associated,
related names) must be approved in writing by those associated agencies, in
advance. No ARES member (including ARES leadership) is authorized to use the
name of the agencies without their prior written permission.
* ARES members will not use the logos or identifying marks of the agencies
that we serve without prior approval in writing by those agencies.
* Prospective ARES members who are convicted felons will not be accepted
into the organization.
* All prospective ARES members must be able to pass their respective
County EOC credentialing requirements. These requirements are not negotiable.
______
Flagler County ARES news and views are now being posted to a new blog site
that also features updates on the ever-evolving northeastern Florida D-STAR
network. Check it out here: The Journal of the North East Florida D-Star
Repeater Network
___________
In This Issue:
The View from Flagler County
Northwestern Ohio Response to Tornadoes
Illinois Tornado Emergency Response
Tornado in Michigan Brings Communications Response
ARES Digest
2010 MS150 Citrus Tour ARES-Supported
Letters
Served Agency Roundup
Small Island, Many Hats: St. John ARES Aids Groups Facing Antenna Tower
Shutdown
K1CE For a Final
___________
Northwestern Ohio Response to Tornadoes
---------------------------------------
On Saturday night, June 5 and Sunday, June 6, severe weather and tornadoes
ripped across an area of northwestern Ohio, laying down a large path of
destruction. ARES and SKYWARN groups in Erie, Huron, Sandusky and Wood
counties activated nets at 10:30 PM Saturday, and many did not stand down
until 4:30 AM Sunday morning. Reports of severe weather damage, flooding,
and downed power lines filled the nets for the majority of the six-hour
period.
In Wood County, ARES Emergency Coordinator (EC) Bob Schumann, W8NYY,
reported that the severity of the damage was becoming quickly apparent with
the increasing frequency of reports coming in during the period of 11:15 and
11:30 PM, with Tony Everhardt, N8WAC, and Assistant EC Ed Brown, K8ZCS,
giving on site reports of severe damage to Lake High School, located in
Millbury. Everhardt reported that he was able to see the funnel cloud only
when electrical transformers began exploding and lighting up the sky. Brown
added that there were broken natural gas lines and downed power lines in the
area as well, which required EC Schumann to recall weather spotters from the
area for their own safety. Continuous reports came in of telephone poles and
power lines down blocking roads, and live electrical wires presenting an
immediate danger.
During the early morning hours, EC Schumann was advised by Wood County
Sheriff Mark Wasyslyshyn that a temporary command center was being set up
across from the Lake Township Police Department building, which had been
heavily damaged by the tornado. A decision was made to deploy the Wood
County ARES trailer there. A supply of police band radios were kept in the
trailer along with a generator and other Amateur Radio equipment if needed.
Subsequently, Sheriff Wasyslyshyn reported that communications had been
restored to Lake Township. Many Wood County ARES members remained on
standby. EC Schumann was proud of the work that was performed by the radio
amateurs of Wood County: "It's my hope that their dedication was responsible
for the reports that ultimately sounded the sirens, which saved lives."
District Emergency Coordinator (DEC) George Henzler, WB8HHZ, maintained
contact with Ohio Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) Jack Sovik, KB8WPZ,
during the time of the incident, as is outlined in the Ohio Section
Emergency Response Plan. Sovik said "The professionalism of the ARES
members, working in conjunction with the National Weather Service and their
SKYWARN program, as per the written Memorandum of Understanding, saved lives
and kept the NWS and the public appraised of the situation that was
developing in the immediate affected areas."
Illinois Tornado Emergency Response
-----------------------------------
More than 20 ARES members from LaSalle, Bureau and Grundy counties were
active before, during and after the June 6 touchdown of an F2 tornado in
Streator, Illinois. At 10:00 AM, LaSalle County SKYWARN Coordinator Laurie
Bradach, W9CAV, updated the spotter group with the hazardous weather outlook
and told operators to expect activation later in the day.
At 7:35 PM, the National Weather Service posted a tornado watch for LaSalle
County; Jim Morris, N9PLM, of Streator, started a weather net on the 147.12
MHz Starved Rock Radio Club Repeater. At 8:15 PM, Keith Risley, KB9VFX,
reported from his spotting location that there was a lowering of a rotating
wall cloud. Risley reported that the winds suddenly increased in speed with
enough force to rock his truck. The storm finally produced a noticeable
funnel, which was heading towards Streator. This information was passed to
Morris and on to the NWS liaison in Grundy County. Risley arrived in
Streator and assisted at the 911 dispatch center until 3 AM. Although there
was no damage at Morris's home, he went portable so he could assist
neighbors affected by the storm.
LaSalle County RACES/ARES EC Joe Tokarz, KB9EZZ, situated at the county EOC,
assumed net control duty. The EOC is in the process of moving to a new
building and the amateur gear is maintained separately from the EOC
conference area. Bradach, at the EOC conference area, established a radio
link with Tokarz so traffic could flow between the EOC conference area and
the amateurs in Streator.
Several ARES members, who were also Community Emergency Response Team (CERT)
trained, assembled three miles north of the damaged area. From there, they
relayed traffic to the EOC.
The volunteers were released at 1:30 AM Sunday, allowing just enough time
for tired operators to get a few winks in before staffing the gate at the
Starved Rock Hamfest at 6 AM!
Lessons Learned
-- Get Dad a weather radio for Fathers Day!
-- Have at least two safe, pre-planned spotting locations; no cul-de-sacs
nor dead ends--locations MUST have at least two escape routes.
-- The closer the operator can stay near work or home, the better for the
operator and his/her family. A good spotting location is where the spotter
can go on to his/her porch and report "It's coming," "it's here," "it's
gone," and be close enough to take care of family members.
-- Don't let your antenna become the tallest object around--even if you have
a great insurance policy.
-- During the middle of the disaster is the wrong time to take a class in
weather spotting, damage assessment, CERT, ARRL EC-01, and FEMA IS courses.
Take classes as they are offered by the local Red Cross and Emergency
Management during "peacetime."
-- Modify your mobile rig so you can take it, a battery and a power supply
with you. Someone's rig will fry and you can get them back to work with your
"portable" mobile rig.
-- Have the public service frequencies for your operating area/counties in
your rig's memories. Initially, communications will be spotty at best and
these frequencies may allow you to relay time-critical information to the
decision makers. -- Joe Tokarz, KB9EZZ, LaSalle County (Illinois) RACES/ARES
EC
Tornado in Michigan Brings Communications Response
--------------------------------------------------
At approximately 2:13 AM on Sunday June 6, an F2 tornado formed about five
miles west of Dundee, Michigan, and then traveled through the north part of
the village (pop. 4000) and moved eastward over a total distance of ten
miles. Fifteen homes were destroyed, one trapping a resident inside for
several hours before rescue crews could reach her. More than 160 homes
sustained extensive damage and 1717 received damage. A hotel was also
damaged. There were no major injuries, and no serious communications outages
beyond the loss of local residential and business telephone lines which were
knocked down by the storm.
Local members of the Monroe County Amateur Radio Public Service Corps
assisted with shelter communications and served Red Cross and Salvation Army
members as well as the regional Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).
Many of the local CERT members are also radio amateurs.
Two hundred hotel patrons were housed in the shelter set up at the Dundee
Middle School, while several fire departments provided lighting and
services. Sheltering began immediately after the storm subsided, and
amateurs with hand-helds were on duty. The local UHF repeater K8RPT-R ran on
battery power in excess of 24 hours until a portable generator returned
power to the tower site on Monday. As soon as the damaged hotel was deemed
secure by the owners, patrons were bussed to the scene to pick up their
belongings and make travel arrangements. Many had severely damaged or
overturned vehicles as a result of the tornado's action and were assisted by
Red Cross officials.
Damage reports covered approximately 1300 homes and businesses. More than
200 utility poles were snapped off and required replacement. Local residents
began cleanup and volunteers from a 50 mile radius offered their services to
assist. - Michigan Section Manager Dale Williams, WA8EFK [Williams' home was
1000 feet from the path of the tornado - ed.]
ARES Digest
-----------
Mississippi SAR Conducted; Subject Deceased
Over the Memorial Day weekend, the DeSoto County EMA RACES/ Reserve Group
had planned to assist county Search and Rescue (SAR) with communications for
lake patrol activities, but ARES DEC/EC Kenneth Johnson, KB0ZTX, reported
that on Saturday morning, plans changed. The Search and Rescue Group was
called out to assist the Tunica County Sheriff's Office with locating a
missing person at Tunica Lake. The Group started their support at the
Command Post at 9 AM Saturday morning and wrapped up before dark. They then
deployed again on Sunday AM with the team; however, the search was concluded
when the deceased person was located. The Group provided communications for
the Command Post and documentation of the activities during the search. The
operators completed the weekend's support by returning to the original lake
patrol activities. The following RACES members supported the callout:
KE5NBD, N5UOV, KE5NBC, W9IK, and KB0ZTX.
Operation Gale Wind Leads to ARC/ARES Negotiation
Lauderdale/Clark counties (Mississippi) EC Richard Morefield, AE5FE, reports
that the Lauderdale Emergency Management Agency (LEMA) conducted their
annual Simulated Emergency Test (SET) called Operation Gale Wind. This event
simulated extreme weather conditions as a result of a hurricane that made
landfall and consequent tornadoes in the Lauderdale County area.
During the exercise, two warnings were issued for tornadoes that resulted in
structural damage and injuries at Clarkedale School, Meridian High School,
Northeast High School, and Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian. Additionally,
simulated injuries were reported from Lockheed at the Industrial Complex.
ARES communication in conjunction with local EMA communications were used to
give local hospitals advance notice of casualties inbound to their
facilities. Confirmations of arrivals at Rush Hospital were relayed to the
Lauderdale EMA EOC.
As a result of this exercise the Red Cross Key Chapter expressed an interest
in partnering with ARES; an agreement is currently being negotiated in
accordance with the MOU between ARRL and ARC National Headquarters. The City
of Meridian, the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Office, and Anderson Hospital
also expressed an interest in ARES capabilities and the speed and ease with
which information was transferred reliably.
2010 MS150 Citrus Tour ARES-Supported
-------------------------------------
The Central Florida Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society hosted
the Citrus Tour MS150 on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16, supported by
many ham volunteers. The Citrus Tour MS150 tested their ability to show up,
set up, and go.
The main concern for everyone involved was a forecast of heat for the ride
to the Caribe Royal Resort in Orlando. The Citrus Tour 2010 this year
started off with bike riders departing from the lovely Bok Tower Gardens in
Lake Wales, Florida, and traveling one of three routes: a 50 mile leg, a 75
mile leg, or a Century Loop, the 100 mile leg.
Coordinating activity was veteran net control operator "TJ" Avalon, NQ1T, of
Mulberry. Avalon operated from the Polk County Emergency Management's Mobile
Command Vehicle, situated at the Start/Finish line at Bok Tower Gardens.
This was the busiest place to be during the weekend event. Paramedics were
on hand to help with down riders, and were dispatched from the Command Post.
For a look at course maps, click here.
The coordinator for communications for this year's event was Laura
Pennington, NO4OO, Polk ARES EC, from Lakeland. In addition to
communications, Pennington also served on the MS150 Committee, bringing
lessons learned from last year's event to the table. Her experience made
this year's event run even smoother.
A total of 40 licensed Amateur Radio operators took part in this year's
event. From the Command Post to tail end Charlie, there was an amateur
stationed every stretch of the way. Hams were deployed in the Supply vehicles.
Two cyclists were also hams. Second time cyclist Jason Triolo, KD4ACG, also
known as BIKE 1, and returning biker, Dana Rodakis, K4LK, was BIKE 2,
endured the event on the 75 mile course. Rodakis was equipped with a D-STAR
ICOM 91-AD for D-PRS reporting.
SAG (Special Assistance Group) members consisted of Orange, Osceola, Polk
County ARES members, and members of the Orange and Hillsborough County CERT
Teams. Also present were members of the Tampa Bay and Orange County REACT
Teams.
The Command Post monitored the movements of several key SAG and Supply
units, and SHADOW 1 (Ride Director, and Pennington) via APRS from Analog and
Internet feeds. Live Weather Radar from the National Weather Service sites
at Ruskin (Tampa) and Melbourne were also monitored from the Command Post,
as was Television from WFTS Channel 9 out of Orlando, inside the Command
Post. -- Evans Mitchell, KD4EFM, Assistant EC, Polk County (Florida) ARES
Letters
-------
In re your "Final" in the last issue, here are a few additional suggestions
for disaster preparedness. Add a couple of books to while away the time
spent in an evacuation shelter. They may help your mental security and
stability.
I'm glad to see you are thinking about your animals in your planning.
However, many people don't think to add a well built, airline approved
travel crate for their pet(s). Think about it: If those cardboard carriers
many pet owners use to transport pets to the Vet's on a good day can fail,
why trust your pet's safety to one under the worst of worst case scenarios?
And forget about those EZ snap together crates -- if they can go together
that easily, when dropped or bumped they can come apart that easily. NEVER
trust the pop-rivet attached handle for anything but short trips by hand.
I also suggest (especially for cats) to put their walking harness on early
and leave it on. Animals can smell the anxiety chemicals in your sweat and
often react accordingly. You might not get another chance. I also strongly
suggest a strong 20 foot leash/line be added to your kit and kept or
attached to the crate. Your pet will need to exercise and relieve itself,
and even the best trained pets can and will take off for any reason. Always
keeping your pet on a lead during a disaster will also allow you to yank
your pet out of a fight or other dangerous situation like a displaced gator
or snake.
Go to your local mountain climbing supply store to purchase enough heavy
duty webbing and a couple of carabiners to fashion a secure hoist sling for
helo-evac. If the climbing shop doesn't do custom work, you can take the
webbing to any shoe shop to get it sewn together. [Readers should get
professional advice and work for a harness for helicopter evacuation - ed.]
As for heading to the hospital for the duration, or any evacuation center
for that matter, I would also take a light pop-up tent, sleeping bag and
blow up mattress. A little personal space and place to sleep will be a
premium. It will be hard enough to sleep with all the sights, sounds, and
smells a hospital in disaster mode creates. A tent, no matter how small or
simple, pitched in a corner somewhere (along with some ear plugs) will
provide that much needed separation you might not be able to get otherwise.
It's also a commodity you might be able to share with someone in need of
comforting. -- Jeff Sabatini, KI6BCX, San Bernardino County (California)
Fire Department Emergency Communications Service
Served Agency Roundup
---------------------
Here is a news roundup from ARRL's MOU partners.
American Red Cross
June 7-- Red Cross Prepares Camps in Haiti for Hurricane Season
Haitians work to dig drainage ditches and lay sandbags and gravel as part of
a disaster-preparedness program developed by the American Red Cross. Read more
June 4 -- Relationship Between Hurricanes and the Oil Spill
Oil slick is not expected to appreciably affect either the intensity or the
track of a fully developed tropical storm or hurricane. Read more
APCO International Annual Conference: August 1-4, 2010, Houston, Texas
The APCO International Annual Conference presents the public safety
communications industry's best educational and product offerings.
Executives, dispatchers, and technicians involved in all aspects of public
safety communications from law enforcement to PSAPs to government agencies,
gather here each year.
Civil Air Patrol
CAP members fly critical missions in oil spill response.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
FEMA Administrator Fugate Addresses Florida Governor's Hurricane
Preparedness Conference
National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster
NVOAD members are currently responding to the flooding in Kentucky and
Tennessee, the tornadoes in Mississippi, and the social service efforts
related to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. More info here.
REACT International
REACT is the abbreviation for Radio Emergency Associated Communications Team.
Information on REACT's extensive emergency communications training program
here.
Salvation Army
Salvation Army Responding to Double Disaster in Guatemala
NOAA National Weather Service
President Obama on National Hurricane Preparedness Week.
United States Power Squadrons
Navigation expert and non-profit boating education organization work
together to enhance and promote safety on the water.
Small Island, Many Hats: St. John ARES Aids Groups Facing Antenna Tower
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Shutdown
--------
Talk about an "Oh, no!" moment. Hams on St. John in the US Virgin Islands
recently learned that a radio tower - home to repeaters serving a volunteer
emergency rescue group and the Virgin Islands National Park Service - was
being shut down. Tower eviction notices arrived. St. John Rescue and the
Virgin Islands National Park Service were up against a 60-day deadline to
get the repeaters off the old site.
Hundreds of times each year, residents and visitors on St. John are aided by
St. John Rescue volunteers: Members assist police, fire and emergency
medical services on calls ranging from traffic accidents to medical
emergencies. Visitors and residents depend on the National Park Service for
assistance within park land, and park employees routinely partner with
Rescue. Reliable communications are critical.
With the help and cooperation of Virgin Islands National Park Superintendent
Mark Hardgrove, a new physical location for a tower was found on Lizard
Hill, on park land. But relocation challenges lay ahead. The Lizard Hill
site was already home to a 20-foot Rohn 25G tower with VHF antenna and feed,
but current needs called for something more substantial. The project would
require advanced technical expertise. Up stepped George Cline, KP2G, of ARES
and Communications Officer for St. John Rescue - a volunteer who has been
instrumental in much of the island's emergency communications
infrastructure. Hardgrove asked Cline to serve as volunteer operations
director for the project, which would include installing additional sections
of tower to bring it up to 68 feet, and relocating the repeaters.
As members of both ARES and St. John Rescue, Cline, ARES President Paul
Jordan, NP2JF, and Rescue Chief Gilly Grimes, NP2OW, knew the importance of
a seamless move as did Park Ranger and Rescue member Dave Horner. With
willing volunteers from ARES, Rescue and the National Park, the group
prepared for the sizable task.
Luckily, Rescue had some spare parts on hand related to the earlier
installation and operation of three VHF repeaters. Materials included about
$800 worth of cable, $200 in cable end fittings, lots of cable ties, ground
rods, clamps, lightning arrestors and more - all necessary to get two
antennas on the tower and working. (The parts are kept on hand by Rescue for
emergency repairs; repurchasing these items will be necessary so they are
readily available.)
Tower supports were needed. Cline donated all of the made-up galvanized
steel cables, the tower guying hardware, the hardware for the ground end of
the guys, insulators, turnbuckles, and other items. By providing his
technical support and labor at no cost, along with needed supplies, Cline
saved Rescue and the Virgin Islands National Park Services quite a bit of
money, as did the many other volunteers who helped make the move a success.
Gilly Grimes stepped up to do the tower climbing - not an easy job in the
first place. Gusty winds slowed the work a bit, but the project moved forward.
The long-time Mamey Peak repeater site had provided radio coverage for the
north, northeast and northwest sections of St. John, including the much-used
North Shore beaches. To avoid as little gap in service as possible, it was
critical to get the tower up and stabilized with steel guy wires so that
antennas could be mounted before repeaters were put in place. Time from
shutdown, moving, installation and bringing the repeaters up on frequency at
the new location was less than two hours; the plan and related execution
were successful.
Future work is planned. Cline says, "Duplicate antenna and coaxial cable
installations will have to soon be made to provide ready and in-place backup
antennas."
With donated time and materials, the money output to build the new tower and
move the repeaters was small; continuing radio service for the park and
Rescue, in support of public safety - priceless. -- Phyllis Benton, NP2MZ,
ARRL Virgin Islands Section Public Information Coordinator
K1CE For a Final
----------------
As we have seen in recent times, the government, at any level, cannot fully
protect its citizens from manmade or natural disaster. That is not to be
taken as criticism of the government, it is rather just a fact of life. As
such, it is largely up to us as ordinary citizens and radio amateurs to be
personally prepared to protect ourselves, our families, and our
neighborhoods against calamity. I think as radio amateurs, we are generally
more prepared than the average citizen, and indeed, certainly have more
opportunity for better communications with the outside world.
I hate to, but have to, harp on this: Be prepared. Here is a good site I
found that speaks to the basic needs of Floridians, but is universally
applicable. Get prepared NOW, before the next incident occurs.
Sick of hearing about how important it is to be prepared? Think of how sick
you'll be when you see the water rising over your doorstep into your home
and up the walls, with no food, potable water, supplies, or plan. Last year,
I saw the water up to my front door, and wrestled sand bags in place during
Tropical Storm Fay. Yes, Fay was only a Tropical Storm. I've taken
preparedness very seriously this year. You should, too.
The program for tonight's Flagler County ARES meeting is the Go-Kit, another
essential element of preparedness for all of us as radio amateurs and
emergency communicators.
See you next month! 73, Rick, K1CE, Flagler County, Florida
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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