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Subj: ARES E-Letter May 16, 2012
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From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SA
To : ARES@WW
The ARES E-Letter May 16, 2012
Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE
In This Issue:
-Hurricane Season 2012
-Hams Active in Dexter, Michigan Tornado
-Santa Fe (New Mexico) ARES Supports SAR Mission
-Letters: NIMS and ICS Training Tailored to Area Hazards
-Illinois State Rep WV9C Visits Station at Illinois EMA Facility
-ARES Mutual Assistance Team (ARESMAT) Concept
-K1CE For a Final
Hurricane Season 2012
---------------------
The forecast for hurricane season 2012, which begins next month, is a bit
more benign than past years, but that is no reason for complacency. Prepare
now!
EXTENDED RANGE FORECAST OF ATLANTIC SEASONAL HURRICANE ACTIVITY AND LANDFALL
STRIKE PROBABILITY FOR 2012
"We anticipate that the 2012 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have
reduced activity compared with the 1981-2010 climatology. The tropical
Atlantic has anomalously cooled over the past several months, and it appears
that the chances of an El Ni¤o event this summer and fall are relatively
high. We anticipate a below-average probability for major hurricanes making
landfall along the United States coastline and in the Caribbean. However,
coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making
landfall to make it an active season for them, and they need to prepare the
same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted. (as of
April 4, 2012)" -- Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray, Department of
Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523
ARES and Hurricane Operations
Now is the time for ARES© members to assess their portfolio of
communications equipment and disaster response knowledge. Here are several
tips for amateurs involved with hurricane operations:
-Monitor major HF hurricane networks during events this season. The
Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz is one of several key players. It
serves either the Atlantic or Pacific during a watch or warning period and
coordinates with the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. Frequent,
detailed information is issued on nets when storms pose a threat to the US
mainland. In addition to hurricane spotting, local communicators may
announce that residents have evacuated from low-lying flood areas. Other
amateurs across the country can help by relaying information, keeping the
net frequency clear and by listening. See the HWN's website for more
information. The net works closely with WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at
the NHC.
-The SATERN Net (Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network) provides
emergency communication support to the Salvation Army and populations at
large. They also handle health-and-welfare traffic. SATERN holds high
profile nets on 20 meters (14.265 MHz) during major hurricanes and has a
long history of excellence, discipline and service. Refer to the SATERN
website for more information.
-The Maritime Mobile Service Net (MMSN) meets on 14.300 MHz and is composed
of hams who serve and assist those in need of communications on the high
seas. According to its website, the primary purpose of the net is for
handling traffic from maritime mobile stations. The network is recognized by
the United States Coast Guard and has an excellent working relationship with
that agency. The MMSN has handled hundreds of incidents involving vessels in
distress and medical emergencies in remote locations, as well as passing
health and welfare traffic in and out of affected areas. They also work
closely with the NWS and NHC by relaying weather reports from maritime
stations.
-The VoIP SKYWARN and Hurricane Net operates by combining both the EchoLink
and IRLP linked repeater networks, while handling critical wide area
communications during major severe weather and tropical events. These
operations have gained national stature in recent years and the net is a
critical partner with WX4NHC. Whenever tropical weather is imposing a threat
to the US mainland and certain other areas of interest, the VoIP WX net will
be fully operational. See the VoIP SKYWARN and Hurricane Net website for
more information.
Florida Hurricane Net on D-STAR
The Florida Hurricane Net is a D-STAR net that meets each Monday night on
D-STAR Reflector 34A at 2100 EST. The primary purpose of the Net is to
provide training to ARES members in the three Florida ARRL Sections and
hurricane emergency communications in the State of Florida for served
agencies if a hurricane or other disaster is threatening or strikes Florida.
Although this net is focused on training and support for ARES members and
their served agencies, any Amateur Radio emcomm operator or organization is
welcome and encouraged to participate in the net. In addition to hurricanes,
the net can and will be activated by any major emergency of state wide or
regional significance where it would be necessary to provide communications
for and to served agencies and/or the State Emergency Operations Center.
To participate in the net, repeaters and Dongle users should connect
directly to REF34A. D-STAR stations using their local repeater should have
their radio programmed for local use with CQCQCQ in the UR field and their
local repeater's gateway in RPT2.
The net takes check-ins using the Quick Key Format to transmit your
callsign. When your Section is called, key your radio or Dongle for one
second only when the frequency is clear. Net Control will acknowledge all
check-ins seen. -- Journal of the North East Florida D-STAR Repeater Network
________
During hurricane events, there are usually two or three regional nets
(usually on 40 or 20 meters) that spring to prominence as major key assets
to the disaster response on an ad hoc basis. Watch for these nets, as well
as the nationally recognized networks described above, this season. Don't
transmit on their frequencies unless you are absolutely sure you have
something substantive to add, and then only under the direction of the net
control station.
ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, adds that when ARES©
activates in response to any tropical event, it is crucial that information
flows up through the Section and is reported to Headquarters. "These reports
allow us to develop the situational awareness and disaster intelligence that
is required for us as an organization to support the Sections that are
impacted," he explained. "In this way, we are able to respond to relevant
requests from the media and finally to coordinate with the governmental and
non-governmental organizations. This information also allows us to make the
decision at Headquarters on whether to stand up the ARRL HQ Emergency
Response Team to support and coordinate the operations."
Hams Active in Dexter, Michigan Tornado
---------------------------------------
On Thursday, March 15, at around 5:15 pm, the village of Dexter, Michigan
was struck by what the National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed as an
EF-3 tornado, with maximum wind speeds of 135-140 mph. The storm was on the
ground for roughly half-an-hour, moving to the southeast before making a
left turn. The NWS estimated the path as a little over seven miles long and
roughly 800 yards wide. Though the storm caused considerable damage to
structures and personal property, no one was seriously injured or killed.
Reports indicated that this welcome outcome was due primarily to Washtenaw
County's system of warning sirens. Other reports give credit to the SKYWARN©
network of spotters, trained by the NWS to recognize conditions leading up
to severe weather, what it is and what can generate it. SKYWARN volunteers
served to give the NWS forecasters the information they needed of what is
actually happening in the field, information that they can't get from their
instruments, the so-called "ground-truth." While meteorologists monitored
conditions in the atmosphere above that lead to severe weather, the
destruction occurs at ground level, literally "under-the-radar."
SKYWARN spotters reported conditions from the safety of their homes, but
also ventured out in the field to provide information in the territory that
normally wouldn't be covered. Information was transmitted back to not only
the National Weather Service, but to county emergency service departments
and county dispatch centers.
The hams of Washtenaw County, in the field during their SKYWAN net, were
among the first to confirm the existence of a wall cloud; and confirm it was
rotating and that a tornado was forming. For their efforts, they were pelted
by debris and hail, and suffered damage to their vehicles, including a
shattered window.
During "peacetime," the hams of Washtenaw County as well as other counties
throughout the state, position themselves near the county's warning sirens
during the monthly test, providing information on the sirens that are
working and which need maintenance. - Pat Mullett, KC8RTW, Michigan Section
Public Information Officer, kc8rtw@arrl.net
Santa Fe (New Mexico) ARES Supports SAR Mission
-----------------------------------------------
From Wednesday, March 15, through Saturday, March 18, Santa Fe ARES (SFARES)
participated in a search and rescue effort for a lost 51 year-old male.
Seven SFARES members supported the mission in two teams from its SAR
Communications Group. Unfortunately, the missing subject has not been found
yet.
The SFARES SAR Communication Teams (KE5TFU and N4VIP for Thursday's activity
and N5XDF and NM5AK for Saturday's effort) were requested to provide
communications support for the mission on the Taos/Colfax county line, 28
miles East of Costilla, New Mexico on mostly back roads. On arrival at
Incident Base, the operators noted that communications were going to be
challenging due to the terrain. It was also cold: 19 degrees with a steady
wind at Incident Base.
On Thursday, the Incident Commander assigned Kenneth Robinson, KE5TFU, to be
positioned one half mile up the road from Incident Base, while Don Hinsman,
N4VIP, would remain at Incident Base. The plan called for KE5TFU up the road
to talk to the State Police Mission helicopter on VHF channel SAR1 and N4VIP
would talk to the other teams on channel SAR3. KE5TFU and N4VIP would use
channel SAR2 to communicate between themselves.
Prior to splitting the team and assigning them to the two locations, the
Logistics Chief had requested the development of a Communications Plan (ICS
205) but there was never an opportunity to prepare it. Also, KE5TFU and
N4VIP had determined that there were at least two amateur repeaters and two
more Megalink repeaters available for use, but the Incident Commander made
it clear that he did not want the use of amateur repeaters due to the risk
that news media personnel might be listening.
Prior to the departure of each search team, radio checks were conducted on
SAR3. It was quickly noticed that once a team departed for their
assignments, the terrain could block line-of-sight communications, so the
Incident Commander requested that a radio check and position report be
conducted with each team every 30 minutes. Position reports were made in the
standard 2 group UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate) system. Each
position report made to Incident Base was repeated back to the team to
ensure 100% copy. The Operations Section Chief would then ask N4VIP to
repeat the UTM coordinates to him and he would then plot the positions.
Regular communications between the Incident Base and the search teams
started at 0900 and continued until 1900 with a steady tempo. Almost all
communications were in the form of a radio check and a position report. When
a team would report finding a shoe print or a shell casing or a cigarette
stub, the exact UTM coordinates were passed to Incident Base. Incident Base
would request more detailed information on the find.
A 1/2 wavelength antenna was installed on a magmount on top of the truck used
as the Command Post. The Planning Section Chief, Operations Section Chief
and N4VIP fully occupied the tailgate. The Incident Commander was parked
immediately behind the tailgate and would hover nearby looking at the map
plots. The Operations Section Chief would plot the location of all routes
followed by the teams and the location of all found items.
KE5TFU made all communications with the helicopter. Search area assignments
were developed by the Operations Section Chief and passed from N4VIP to
KE5TFU (on SAR2) and then on to the helicopter on SAR1. The helicopter crew
used latitude/longitude instead of UTM so search assignments passed to the
helicopter had to be passed in latitude/longitude, which required the
Operations Section Chief to convert UTM coordinates.
For the Saturday effort, Charles Rogers, KJ5KU, with the Los Alamos ARES
Group was at the Incident Base with the Los Alamos ARES communications
trailer and had spent the night at Incident Base after working
communications for the mission on Friday. The communications trailer was set
up for both amateur 2-meter operations and SAR VHF operations with a J-pole
antenna on a mast for each. The trailer also had two generators running: a
very quiet Honda 2000i powering the lights and radios (and associated
batteries); and a fairly loud Coleman camp generator running an electric
heater.
On Saturday, given the large number of search teams that would be
participating, it was decided to organize the search into two Strike Teams
with multiple sub teams under each. Strike Team 1 and its sub teams were
assigned the SAR3 VHF frequency, and Strike Team 2 and its sub teams were
assigned SAR2 VHF. SAR1 VHF was used for the Strike Team Leaders to
communicate back to Incident Base and via the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) plane
that was providing overhead relay support (referred to has High Bird or HB).
In addition, Family Radio Service (FRS) channel 1 (no tone) was used within
the Incident Base for a command network.
Alexander Kent, NM5AK, had brought three FRS radios and the Safety Officer
also had several allowing an FRS radio individually for Comms, Incident
Commander, Operations, Logistics, and Safety plus a backup. One Amateur
Radio frequency and repeater were also used -- the Angel Fire repeater
(147.34 MHz) -- to communicate with Hollis Atkinson, N5LEM, who was relaying
coordination information from the outside world since there was no cellular
phone service at Incident Base.
Throughout Saturday's operational period, Terence Morton, N5XDF, usually
manned the SAR radio as communicator while NM5AK recorded all communications
in the log and manned the FRS and amateur radios. It wasn't unusual for
activity to occur on two or three (SAR, Amateur, FRS) radios at the same
time. Approximately five pages of communication logs were filled during the
period from 0900 to 1600. All logs, messages, and the communication plan
were given to the Operations Chief at the end of the operational period.
After the missions, a debriefing of both teams with SFARES' Management Group
resulted in a detailed description of the "Lessons Learned" and an
accompanying set of recommendations on ways to improve. -- Don Hinsman,
N4VIP, Santa Fe, New Mexico ARES EC; Santa Fe and San Miguel Counties DEC
[The New Mexico Emergency Services Council (NMESC) holds the FCC license for
the Primary SAR frequency and new Secondary SAR frequencies, and it
authorizes these VHF and UHF frequencies for current NMESC member teams to
operate in New Mexico SAR (State Mission Number Issued) activities and
training.
All traffic is carried out using plain English only. The only acceptable
deviation from this rule is the condition or "death" message assigned when
the mission is started. No use of these frequencies other than during a SAR
Mission or a SAR training exercise is permitted.
The Primary SAR Frequency (155.160 MHz) is used by teams in the field for
communication with Incident Base and other teams in the field. It is not
used for intra-team communication while on a SAR mission. Teams are expected
to use a SAR Secondary Frequency or their own FCC licensed team frequency
for intra-team communications.
The Secondary SAR Frequencies 151.370 MHz and159.285 MHz are assigned for
use by the Incident Commander as appropriate for the particular mission and
circumstances. -- NMESC. See the New Mexico Search and Rescue Council's
website for a good look at current SAR protocols and methodologies. -- ed.]
Letters: NIMS and ICS Training Tailored to Area Hazards
-------------------------------------------------------
There are different threat dynamics that impact different jurisdictions and
geographic areas. For example, Pennsylvania may be affected by floods and
mudslides, while California is affected more by earthquakes and wildfires.
Organizations should use their jurisdictions' hazard/threat analyses to
determine the types of incidents most likely to occur in their areas and
tailor their NIMS/ICS training accordingly. Our community goal and objective
is to train our personnel to NIMS typing and qualification standards based
on these analyses.
Also, there is a drastic difference between a population of 2,993 town
residents and nearly 13,684 county residents, from a city of 3,792,621 and a
county population of 37,691,912 when it involves planning, training,
certifying, exercising, qualifying, and credentialing personnel resources to
a hazard/threat analysis. The population dynamic must also be taken into
account. -- Michael J. Cyran, WD6ALM, Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP);
Communitions Unit Leader (COML); Los Angeles, California
Illinois State Rep WV9C Visits Station at Illinois EMA Facility
---------------------------------------------------------------
Illinois State Representative Chuck Krezwick, WV9C (Orland Park, IL), the
only amateur licensee in the state General Assembly, visited the RACES
station (NC9IL) at the Illinois Emergency Management Agency facility at
Springfield recently. The tour was set up by ARRL Illinois legislative
liaison Charlie Richey, K9DUE. Also on the tour was Jim Pitchford, N9LQF,
Emergency Coordinator, who had just returned from tornado-ravaged southern
Illinois. -- Thanks, Ben Kiningham, K9IDQ, Petersburg, Illinois
ARES Mutual Assistance Team (ARESMAT) Concept
---------------------------------------------
The ARESMAT concept recognizes that a neighboring section's ARES resources
can be quickly overwhelmed in a large-scale disaster. ARES members in the
affected areas may be preoccupied with mitigation of their own personal
situations and therefore not be able to respond in local ARES operations.
Accordingly, communications support must come from ARES personnel outside
the affected areas. This is when help may be requested from neighboring
sections' ARESMAT teams.
To effect inter-sectional support mechanisms, each Section Emergency
Coordinator (SEC) should consider adopting the following principles in their
ARES planning:
-Pre-disaster planning with other sections in the Division, and adjoining
sections outside the Division. Planning should be conducted through written
memoranda, and in-person at conventions and director-called cabinet
meetings. An ARESMAT inter-sectional emergency response plan should be
drafted.
-Development of a roster of ARESMAT members able, willing and trained to
travel to neighboring sections to provide communication support inside the
disaster area.
-Inter-sectional communication/coordination during and immediately following
the onslaught of the disaster.
-Post-event evaluation and subsequent revision/updating of the
inter-sectional emergency response plan.
When developing ARESMAT functions, ARES leadership should include the
following basic action elements:
Pre-Departure Functions
Team leaders should provide ARESMAT members with notification of
activation/assignment. Credentials should be provided for recognition by
local authorities. They should provide a general and technical briefing on
information drawn principally from the requesting authority, supplemented by
reports from Amateur Radio, commercial radio, W1AW bulletins and ARRL
officials. The briefing should include an overview of equipment and
communication needs, ARESMAT leadership contacts and conditions in the
disaster area.
The host SEC's invitation, transportation (including routes in disaster
area) and accommodations considerations, and expected length of deployment
should all also be reviewed with the team members.
In-Travel Functions
Before and while in travel to the affected areas, team leaders should review
the situation's status with the team: job assignments, checklists, affected
area profile, mission disaster relief plan, strengths and weaknesses of
previous and current responses, maps, technical documents, contact lists,
tactical operation procedures and response team requirements.
Arrival Functions
Upon arrival, team leaders should check with host ARES officials and obtain
information about frequencies in use, current actions, available personnel,
communication and computer equipment, and support facilities that could be
used by the team to support the relief effort. The host's ARES plan in
effect for the disaster should be obtained. A priority upon arrival should
be the establishment of an initial intra-team communication network and an
HF or VHF channel back to the home section for morale traffic.
Team leaders should meet with served agencies, Amateur Radio clubs'
communications staff, local ARRL communications authority, and others as
needed to obtain information and coordinate the use of frequencies.
Communication site selections should take into account team requirements and
local constraints.
In-situ Functions
Team leaders should make an initial assessment of functioning communication
facilities, and monitor host ARES officials' communications, and other
response team relief efforts to coordinate operations and reduce duplication
of effort. Team members should be monitored and their capabilities to
perform their duties evaluated. Proper safety practices and procedures must
be followed. A daily critique of communication effectiveness with served
units and communication personnel should be conducted.
Pre-Demobilization and Demobilization Functions
An extraction procedure for ham communicators should be negotiated with
served agencies and host ARES officials before it is needed. To get
volunteers' commitment to travel and participate, they must be assured that
there will be an end to their commitment. Open-ended commitments of
volunteers are undesirable, partly because they make potential volunteers
hesitate to become involved.Leaders must coordinate with the host ARES
officials and served agencies, and other functions to determine when
equipment and personnel are no longer needed. A demobilization plan should
be in effect.
A team critique, begun on the trip home, should be conducted. Individual
performance evaluations on team members should be prepared. Copies of
critiques should be sent to both the home SEC and in-disaster SEC. Problems
stemming from personality conflicts should be addressed and/or resolved
outside of formal reports, as they only provide distractions to the reports.
Equipment should be accounted for.
A post-event evaluation meeting should always be conducted, and a final
report prepared so that an update to the inter-sectional ARESMAT plan can be
made.
ARESMAT Member Qualifications
The individual filling the role of ARESMAT member must have high performance
standards, qualifications, experience, and the ability to work with a
diverse group of team members that will be required to provide relief to the
affected areas. He or she must be able to work efficiently in a disaster
relief operation under the most adverse conditions.
Additionally, a member should have demonstrated ability to be an effective
team player, in crisis situations, a strong personal desire and strong
interpersonal communication skills. A knowledge of how ARRL, Red Cross and
other agencies function at both the national and local levels is helpful. A
working knowledge of the incident command system is useful as many events
are managed under this system.
Members should be respected and recognized by officials and peers as
competent communicators and should understand a broad range of disaster
response organizations' capabilities and communication requirements.
Important: Members must be available with the consent of their employer to
participate! They should be physically fit to perform arduous work under
adverse environmental conditions.
Summary
It should be noted that there is a fine balance of authority over a deployed
ARESMAT. The in-disaster SEC (or delegated authority) should be able to make
decisions as to use and deployment of an incoming team. Therefore, an
incoming team should be prepared to submit themselves to such authority;
this is evidenced by the fact that any team, internal or external, has only
a limited view of the overall operation. The supervising authorities will
have a better overview of the whole situation.
In turn, however, the in-disaster authority should be discouraged from
abusing the resources of incoming teams. Should a team no longer be
required, or a situation de-escalate, the team should be released at the
earliest possible time, so that they may return home to their own lives.
The ARESMAT tool should be one of last resort. Whenever possible, amateurs
from the affected section should be used for support. It is a lot to ask of
a volunteer to travel far from home, family and job for extended periods of
arduous and potentially dangerous work.
K1CE For a Final
----------------
I particularly enjoyed including N4VIP's after-action report on a recent New
Mexico SAR mission above in this issue. New Mexico has a longstanding
reputation as a leader in the development and enhancement of SAR protocols
and methodologies out of pure need: many subjects are lost in the vastness
of many of the remote parts of the state, as well as more populated areas.
It is noted that much of the participating ham operators communications were
conducted on state VHF and UHF frequencies reserved for SAR missions, not on
amateur frequencies. The message I took away from this is that ARES members
can make themselves more valuable to served agencies if they are able to
operate radios from other services, and know their different protocols,
rules and regulations, guidelines and principles. Kudos to the New Mexico
ARES community for their "extended range."
_________
Fred Kleber, K9VV, has been appointed as Section Manager of the Virgin
Islands Section beginning May 1, 2012. Kleber, of Christiansted, is taking
the reins from John Ellis, NP2B, who is planning to move out of the Section
soon. Ellis has been Section Manager of the Virgin Islands since 1996.
Kleber has served as the Section Emergency Coordinator of the Virgin Islands
this past year.
I traveled and visited with John Ellis, NP2B, on numerous occasions over the
years, as he was and is one of the main emcomm go-to guys for not only the
US Virgin Islands, but also for the entire Caribbean basin. His knowledge
and contacts were invaluable to ARRL interests in emcomms in the region.
John is also a good personal friend, with his enthusiasm and big smile
always in evidence. Good luck in your future endeavors, John, and thanks for
all you did for ARRL as Section Manager and otherwise.
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