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Subj: ARES E-Letter June 15, 2011
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The ARES E-Letter June 15, 2011
Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE
"What an Unbelievable Response"
-------------------------------
Missouri SEC Ken Baremore, W0KRB, sent the following open letter to
volunteers involved in the Joplin, Missouri tornado disaster:
"I want to thank all who volunteered and came to Joplin to help with
communications as well as those who are still contacting me to see if
additional help is needed. Due to the ending of the search and recovery mode
and going to the debris and potential body part removal functions, the
decision was made that effective at the end of shift today (Monday, May 30,
2011) all ham communications from the EOCs to the field operations are being
stood down. We do have some ARESİ operators that are scheduled and will
continue to work with SATERN through the rest of this week.
"Ham communications between Springfield and Joplin started Sunday night
between Freeman Hospital in Joplin and some of the hospitals in Springfield
as that was the only means of communication. The links were shut down Monday
morning when their needs were met. Likewise, the radio station at the
Springfield Red Cross was started Sunday evening to allow communications
between the Springfield and Joplin offices and to the shelter that was set
up in Joplin. That communication link stayed open until Tuesday as it was
the only reliable method of communications.
"I asked Cecil Higgins, AC0HA, Assistant DEC for District D, to respond to
Joplin on Tuesday morning and act as "Ham in Charge" during the disaster and
help to set up additional communication links as required. Thomas Zeller,
KB0ORZ, EC for Jasper County, and LaVerne Wilson, NQ0B, EC for Newton
County, were already in place, with members of their respective ARESİ groups
trying to support the EOCs and Red Cross, but relief was needed.
"Our ham operators expended almost 2000 hours during this week. What an
unbelievable response. I know that many of you were scrambling to find the
necessary equipment to allow you to come help this week. It is a great
feeling for me to know that I am part of an organization with people willing
to give up vacation or personal time to help out in a time of need. I hope
we don't have another need anytime soon but it is nice to know that we have
hams and ARESİ members ready to serve. Again, I can't thank you all enough."
-- 73, Kenneth Baremore, WKRB, Missouri Section Emergency Coordinator [See
also Missouri ARESİ.]
_________
In This Issue:
* "What an Unbelievable Response"
* ARESİ Digest
* ARESİ a Hit at ARRL National Convention in Texas
* WD4R: National Hurricane Center's Annual Station Test a Success
* ECAC Drafting MDEC Specs
* Tip: The Fixer
* Q&A: ARESİ Versus RACES
* FEMA Administrator: Amateur Radio "The Last Line of Defense"
* Letters
* NVOAD Conference Brings Together 30 Disaster Groups
* K1CE For a Final
_________
ARESİ Digest
------------
June 6, 2011 -- SATERN Thanks Amateurs for Responding to Call for
Assistance, All Slots Filled
June 2, 2011 -- Central Massachusetts Experiences Rare Tornado, Area Hams
Hasten to Help
May 31, 2011 -- ARESİStands Down After Joplin Storms, CERT Volunteers Needed
May 25, 2011 -- Radio Amateurs Assist American Red Cross, Served Agencies
During Joplin Storm
May 23, 2011 -- ARRL to Testify on Interoperable Public Safety Network
ARESİ a Hit at ARRL National Convention in Texas
------------------------------------------------
The ARESİ Forum and ARESİ booth were popular areas at the 2011 ARRL National
Convention at Ham-Com in Plano, Texas, this past weekend. ARRL Emergency
Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, W5MPC conducted the standing room only
ARESİ forum. Corey gave the same program that he presented in Dayton and
received another enthusiastic, positive response from the audience. Topcis
covered during the ARESİ forum included: training, creating a positive
public image, actions we can take to improve ARESİ, and dispelling some
emcomm myths. Several good questions and comments came from the Texas crowd.
ARRL Southeastern Division Director Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, reported enjoying
talking to many emcomm-oriented convention-goers from Texas and the entire
region at the League's National Convention ARESİ booth. Many hams were
interested in the ARESİ response and incorporation of D-STAR in the April
Alabama tornado outbreak. Sarratt said "the Texas hams have a fine ARESİ
program, and I enjoyed their hospitality and greatly appreciate their well
wishes for the Alabama Tornado victims."
WD4R: National Hurricane Center's Annual Station Test a Success
---------------------------------------------------------------
The crew at WX4NHC performed its annual National Hurricane Center Hurricane
Season Station Test on June 4. This is our 31st year of volunteer public
service at the center. The station radio equipment and antennas were tested
on multiple frequencies and fine tuned for what may become a busy season by
some predictions.
We made more than one hundred contacts on HF around the USA, Canada, with
several Caribbean countries, and even as far as England. We also tested
several of our local repeaters on VHF/UHF.
The VoIP Hurricane Net conducted a net for two hours on EchoLink/IRLP using
a similar format used during our hurricane activation as a practice test,
which resulted in several dozen contacts. The WX4NHC operators for this test
were: AF4VJ, K4AG, K4PAA, KJ4YDX, WB4L, WD4R and WX2L.
We welcomed a new WX4NHC operator, Mike Kelley, KJ4YDX, who recently
upgraded to General. Kelley is the Vice Chairman for the University of Miami
School of Medicine and was Chief Operating Officer for the UM/Medishare
Haiti Mission Command Center and Field Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in
the aftermath of the earthquake.
We extend our thanks to all who listened for us and made contacts. Your
contacts helped us confirm our equipment and antennas' performance and
helped us practice our operating skills at NHC. We hope we can count on your
support during the next hurricane on the Hurricane Watch Net 14.325 MHz or
the EchoLink Conference WX_Talk (node 7203) or IRLP (node 9219).For more
information: www.wx4nhc.org -- Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Amateur Radio
Assistant Coordinator (Celebrating 31 years at the National Hurricane Center)
ECAC Drafting MDEC Specs
------------------------
In January, 2007, a landmark report with recommendations was tendered with
the ARRL Board of Directors at their Annual Meeting. The document was the
culmination of the hard work and deliberation of the ARRL National Emergency
Response Planning Committee, a special select group chaired by then-Vice
President and current ARRL President Kay Craigie, N3KN. One of the key
concepts proposed by the committee was the Major Disaster Emergency
Coordinator (MDEC) appointment. The idea was to have a manager who would
coordinate Amateur Radio operations, operators and resources supporting
served agencies during a major disaster relief operation when section and
regional ARESİ assets are overwhelmed similar to operations performed in the
Hurricane Katrina response. The MDEC's line of authority would be derived
from the ARRL's disaster response emergency manager at HQ and would parallel
the affected area's Section Managers. The MDEC position was envisioned to be
a continuous appointment but would only be active when called upon by the HQ
manager.
The recommendation was to have the MDEC be responsible for the
"establishment of an as needed emergency communications structure - the
Disaster Field Team - designed to fulfill served agency requests and/or
augment the existing Field Services structure established by the Section
Manager." The Disaster Field Team (DFT) would be assembled from the ARRL
national ARESİ database. The purpose of the DFT would be to provide support
for the infrastructure of relief organizations that bring resources into the
disaster zone and cannot be served by the local Field Organization. The MDEC
function has been tested in exercises with served agencies and ARES with
success.
The ARRL Emergency Communications Advisory Committee (ECAC) is currently
drafting appointment protocols and requirements. As presently conceived by
the committee, there will be several MDECs geographically arranged by ARRL
Division. The geography, and hence the actual MDEC headcount, is being
determined at this time.
The ECAC was established at the January, 2010 Board meeting. Each of the 15
ARRL Divisions has a representative on the ECAC. There is also a
representative from Radio Amateurs Canada, a Board of Directors liaison, and
a HQ staff liaison. Committee members are exceptionally qualified and
recognized members of the emergency communications community. The committee
will report its recommendations and draft appointment guidelines to the
Programs and Services Committee.
Members include: Jim Cross, WI3N (Atlantic Division); Bill Niemuth, KB9ENO
(Central Division); Jim Zahradnicek, KDS (Dakota Division); Jim Coleman,
AI5B (Delta Division); Chairman Dale Williams, WA8EFK (Great Lakes
Division); Jim Mezey, W2KFV (Hudson Division); Reynolds Davis, KGND
(Midwest Division); Dave Colter, WA1ZCN (New England Division); Gordon
Grove, WA7LNC (Northwestern Division); James R Latham, AF6AQ (Pacific
Division); Charlie Miller, AE4UX (Roanoke Division); Jeff Ryan, KRM (Rocky
Mountain) ; Rick Palm, K1CE (Southeastern Division); Grant Hays, WB6OTS
(Southwestern Division); Glen Reid, K5FX (West Gulf Division); and Doug
Mercer, VO1DTM (Radio Amateurs of Canada). Board Liaison is Mickey Cox,
K5MC. And Staff Liaison is Mike Corey, W5MPC.
Tip: The Fixer
--------------
Something that every ARESİ team needs is a "fixer" - a skilled tech equipped
not so much with radios, but with test equipment and supplies of tools,
wire, connectors, and repair materials. The team "fixer" is a person who can
fix or jury-rig just about anything and who can improvise as needed to keep
things running. With a majority of team members focused on communications
and organization, this function needs attention during planning and training
for response and deployment. It's a great path for mentoring hams from
non-technical backgrounds so they are better prepared to maintain
operational status under field conditions. In addition, this function is a
natural for hams from a "do it yourself" (DIY) background - a prime source
of recruitment to Amateur Radio. -- Ward Silver, N0AX, ARRL QST Contributing
Editor
Q&A: ARESİ Versus RACES
-----------------------
Q: I would enjoy reading an article about the similarities and differences
between the ARESİ groups and the RACES groups. I am part of an ARESİ group,
but I really don't know why ARRL has two organizations that seem to be doing
the same thing. -- Mike Sallee, KC9FWL, Bloomington, Illinois
A: After World War II, it became evident that the international situation
was destined to be tense and the need for some civil-defense measures became
apparent. Successive government agencies designated to head up such a
program called on amateur representatives to participate.
In the discussions that followed, amateurs were interested in getting two
points across: First, that Amateur Radio had a potential for and capability
of playing a major role in this program; and second, that our participation
should be in our own name, as an Amateur Radio Service, even if and after
war should break out. These principles were included into the planning by
the formulation of regulations creating a new branch of the amateur service,
the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, RACES.
RACES is administered by local, county and state emergency management
agencies, and supported by FEMA. It is a part of the Amateur Radio Service
that provides radio communications for civil-preparedness purposes only,
during periods of local, regional or national civil emergencies. These
emergencies are not limited to war-related activities, but can include
natural disasters such as fires, floods and earthquakes.
RACES operation is authorized by emergency management officials only, and
this operation is strictly limited to official civil-preparedness activity
in the event of an emergency communications situation.
Operating Procedure
Amateurs operating in a local RACES organization must be officially enrolled
in the local civil-preparedness agency having jurisdiction. RACES operation
is conducted by amateurs using their own primary station licenses and by
existing RACES stations.
The FCC no longer issues new RACES (WC prefix) station call signs. Operator
privileges in RACES are dependent upon, and identical to, those for the
class of license held in the Amateur Radio Service. All of the authorized
frequencies and emissions allocated to the Amateur Radio Service are also
available to RACES on a shared basis.
While RACES was originally based on potential use for wartime, it has
evolved over the years, as has the meaning of civil defense (which is also
called civil preparedness), to encompass all types of emergencies.
While operating in a RACES capacity, RACES stations and amateurs registered
in the local RACES organization may not communicate with amateurs not
operating in a RACES capacity. Such restrictions do not apply when such
stations are operating in a non-RACES--such as ARESİ--amateur capacity. Only
civil-preparedness communications can be transmitted.
Test and drills are permitted only for a maximum of one hour per week. All
test and drill messages must be clearly so identified. With the approval of
the chief officer for emergency planning and applicable state, Commonwealth,
district or territory, however, such tests and drills may be conducted for a
period not to exceed 72 hours no more than twice in any calendar year.
ARESİ and RACES
Although RACES and ARESİ are separate entities, the ARRL advocates dual
membership and cooperative efforts between both groups whenever possible for
an ARESİ group whose members are all enrolled in and certified by RACES to
operate in an emergency with great flexibility. Using the same operators and
the same frequencies, an ARESİ group also enrolled as RACES can "switch
hats" from ARESİ to RACES and RACES to ARESİ to meet the requirements of the
situation as it develops. For example, during a "nondeclared emergency,"
ARESİ can operate under ARESİ, but when an emergency or disaster is
officially declared by a state or federal authority, the operation can
become RACES with no change in personnel or frequencies.
This situation is still not well understood and accepted throughout the
United States; both ARESİ and RACES still exist, separately, in many areas.
Where there is currently no RACES, it would be a simple matter for an ARESİ
group to enroll in that capacity, after a presentation to the
civil-preparedness authorities. In cases where both ARESİ and RACES exist,
it is possible to join both or to be involved in either. As time progresses,
the goal would be the merger into one strong organization, with coordination
between ARESİ and RACES officials using the same groups of amateurs. In some
sections of the U.S. today, the ARESİ structure has also been accepted as
the RACES structure.
FEMA Administrator: Amateur Radio "The Last Line of Defense"
------------------------------------------------------------
In an FCC forum on earthquake communications preparedness, Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate described the Amateur
Radio operator as "the ultimate backup, the originators of what we call
social media." The forum-- held May 3 at FCC Headquarters in Washington, DC
-- brought together officials from the White House, the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS), the United States Geological Survey (USGS), FEMA,
the FCC and the private sector. Fugate and FCC Bureau of Public Safety and
Homeland Security Chief Jamie Barnett gave the opening remarks.
Later in the forum, Fugate spoke more on Amateur Radio. "During the initial
communications out of Haiti, volunteers using assigned frequencies that they
are allocated, their own equipment, their own money, nobody pays them, were
the first ones oftentimes getting word out in the critical first hours and
first days as the rest of the systems came back up," he told the forum. "I
think that there is a tendency because we have done so much to build
infrastructure and resiliency in all our other systems, we have tended to
dismiss that role 'When Everything Else Fails.' Amateur Radio oftentimes is
our last line of defense."
Fugate said that he thinks "we get so sophisticated and we have gotten so
used to the reliability and resilience in our wireless and wired and our
broadcast industry and all of our public safety communications, that we can
never fathom that they'll fail. They do. They have. They will. I think a
strong Amateur Radio community [needs to be] plugged into these plans. Yes,
most of the time they're going to be bored, because a lot of the time,
there's not a lot they're going to be doing that other people aren't doing
with Twitter and Facebook and everything else. But when you need Amateur
Radio, you really need them."
Readers can watch a video of the forum on YouTube. Fugate's remarks begin at
18:55.
Letters
-------
Here are three ideas for future editions of the ARESİ E-Letter. First, with
more than 35 years in AREC and ARESİ communications, a question was posed at
an ARESİ/RACES meeting this past Monday evening which I could not answer.
Basically, has anyone assembled a profile on the quantities of messaging
traffic typically experienced during various types of emergency ARESİ and
RACES activations? Those posing this question are not looking for an answer
based on bands and modes of operation, but more along the lines of rough
percentages of tactical voice communications vs. written traffic support by
type of emergency. Uncovering this data from other areas would help improve
resource planning and training in this Section, and I presume other
recipients of the ARESİ E-Letter across the country as well.
The second topic I would like to suggest is sharing of District-level and
Section-level written plans that outline mutual aid agreements for sharing
of re-deployable ARESİ resources among counties, districts, and sections.
And thirdly, last month's ARESİ E-Letter mentions the subject of
"self-deployment" by amateurs, most of who are untrained in ARESİ
methodologies and could be more of a hindrance than a help to emergency
work. It would be interesting to hear how other areas of the country have
planned for and dealt with this highly anticipated situation. In my local
area, for example, the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency has made
plans for establishing gathering points throughout their service area where
spontaneous responders, including medical personnel, can assemble following
a major emergency event. The local ARESİ/RACES group has plans in place to
"collect" Amateur Radio volunteers at these same points, do a quick
interview of their experience and capabilities, and deploy them alongside
trained ARESİ members as needed. I hope these suggestions are topic ideas
you can use. -- Steve Aberle, WA7PTM, ARRL Official Emergency Station (OES),
Western Washington Section
NVOAD Conference Brings Together 30 Disaster Groups
---------------------------------------------------
On May 24 through May 26 all roads led to the heart of the country for the
19th Annual NVOAD Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Kansas City,
Missouri. The mission and purpose of NVOAD (National Voluntary Organizations
Active in Disaster) is to provide a forum where organizations share
knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle -- preparation,
response and recovery -- to help disaster survivors and their communities.
The conference was well attended, with 550 people checking in. ARRL is a
national member of NVOAD.
A number of forums gave participants the opportunity to hear firsthand from
the other organizations about their roles in aiding with disaster recovery.
Over 30 organizations had booths displaying the various services they
provide, ranging from small portable water purification units, clothing
items made from plastic bottles and even shrink-wrapped diaper packets!
The importance of such a forum was punctuated by the devastating tornado in
Joplin just before the conference began. In addition, during the first full
day of the conference several tornadoes were sighted nearby and were
reported to be heading toward the downtown area. Appropriate precautions
were taken and attendees were directed to suitable shelter. Fortunately, no
damage occurred.
The Service Project during the conference was greatly enlarged this year
with the beginning of construction of a house for a local family. Another
hands-on project in which my wife and I participated during the event
included packaging food kits to be sent to Louisiana in preparation for the
upcoming hurricane season.
Jim Andera, KNK, from Gardner, Kansas gave an excellent presentation on
"Amateur Radio in Emergencies and Disaster Relief Efforts." He first
provided background on Amateur Radio and the different modes that amateurs
use. He went on to describe the communication capabilities amateurs can
provide in disaster communications. After the session, a number of people
wanted to know more about Amateur Radio and its public service aspects.
Andera left the convention to lend a hand in Joplin.
The 2012 National VOAD Convention will be held in Virginia. --Chuck Skolaut,
K0BOG, ARRL HQ
K1CE For a Final
----------------
One of things missing from many tornado reports is discussion of the
insidious psychological traumas that are inflicted upon survivors that
linger forever after the media trucks and emergency management vehicles have
rolled out of town. A good friend of mine, Dan Woll, wrote of his personal
experience in a gripping account published in the Cap Times, Wisconsin, a
few days ago. It helps us as responders to have a deeper empathy for what
the survivors are going through, and what they will go through for the rest
of their lives, Click here for a must-read.
_______
I'd like to thank Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, for asking me to serve on the
League's Emergency Communications Advisory Committee (ECAC) as Southeastern
Division rep. The committee was authorized and constituted by the Board of
Directors last year. There are a number of qualified panelists on the
committee and I am looking forward to working with them. A report on current
ECAC work is included above, in this issue. See you next month! 73, Rick
Palm, K1CE
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