ARES Letter for September 3, 2005

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The ARRL ARES E-Letter
Special Edition
September 2, 2005
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Edited by Rick Palm, K1CE

=================================================================
ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or
comments: Rick Palm, K1CE, k1ce@arrl.net
=================================================================

SPECIAL EDITION: HURRICANE KATRINA

"I know many people would like to move now. Please don't. I know many
of you want to enter the fray, come to the coast and get involved.
Please, not yet. Transportation and logistics, including volunteer
groups coming in, must be done in an orderly manner or we may only
add to the chaos and confusion." -ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP

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IN THIS ISSUE:

+  Message from Southern Florida SM Sherri Brower, W4STB
+  Volunteer Disaster Communications Registration Data Base
+  First Contact: Southern Florida's Experience
+  Gulf Coast ARES Emergency Net
+  Louisiana Situation 
+  Alabama Situation
+  Mississippi Situation
+  Northern Florida Mutual Assistance Team Effort
+  On Special Assignment: Hillsborough County (Florida) ARES/RACES
+  HF ARES Net Frequencies, Other Frequencies, Key Station Activity
+  ARRL MOU Partners' Activity
+  New Product: PowerFlare might be helpful for responders
+  Editorial
+  Final Note to Deployers
=================================================================

Numerous reports are coming in on the devastation and relief
response, including ARES, manifested by Hurricane Katrina. This
special release addresses initial ARES responses and planning.
Everyone has seen the media reports and the public notices of various
governmental agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations, so they
will not be reiterated here. The purpose of this edition is to share
early reports and stories of what our fellow ARES members are doing
in the field in response to one of the worst natural disasters to
beset the United States. These efforts are only preliminary, and in
no way represent the total ARES effort, which will evolve over the
hard hours, days and weeks to come. - K1CE
________________________

+  Message from Southern Florida SM Sherri Brower, W4STB

"We are all concerned about the people in the path of Katrina's
destruction. Many of us have friends or family in the area, others
have friends and co-workers with friends or family in the area. At
this time information into and out of the affected areas is sporadic.
 Our fellow hams are overloaded with requests for food, water and
rescue. They cannot handle health and welfare traffic at this time.
Nor can I. Go to <http://www.satern.org/>  with such requests.  [See
story below - ed.]

"Here's how you can help now.  Keep frequencies with any kind of
relief traffic clear -- that means listen only, don't be a policeman.
Have patience. If you want to go to the area to assist with
communications or other activities, contact the Red Cross or other
relief agencies. They have required training courses before you can
be deployed, so do not be surprised if you are told "no." Donate
money. Coordinate your travel offer for ARES mutual assistance with
your SEC. Do not attempt to travel to the area on your own." -W4STB
____________________

+  Volunteer Disaster Communications Registration and Message Traffic
Data Base  

South Texas SEC Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, adds "The immediate action is
for ARES leaders in adjacent and nearby sections to identify ARES
volunteers who are qualified and willing to travel into the
[affected] areas." He also reported the establishment of a "Volunteer
Disaster Communications Registration and Message Traffic Data Base" -
see <http://katrina.ab2m.net/> He added this caveat: "Before
registering, consider there are unlikely to be any hotel or motel
rooms available; any accommodations that are available are likely to
be primitive and makeshift. Water suitable for drinking or even
washing is expected to be scarce. Unless you are presently mentally
and physically prepared for complete self-sufficiency for at least
several days, please do not immediately register.  Not everyone needs
to be in the first wave of volunteers; the recovery effort will last
weeks and perhaps months, requiring an extended volunteer pool."
___________________


+ First Contact: Southern Florida's Experience

August 25 and 26, 2005-- Hurricane Katrina first crossed paths with
the U.S. in south Florida. Jeff Beals, WA4AW, ARRL Southern Florida
Section Emergency Coordinator, reported that county ECs advised him
of several activations and responses. In Martin County, the EOC was
activated with resource and tactical nets operating in support of Red
Cross HQ, shelters and the EOC. Palm Beach and Broward Counties saw
the same level of activity. Miami-Dade County ARES supported their
EOC and shelters, with ARES/RACES DCAT teams assisting Red Cross with
damage assessment and food distribution. Tactical communications were
provided for all of the above operations. There were no activations
in Glades, Lee or Hendry Counties, according to Beals. The Southern
Florida ARES Net (SFAN) held four special sessions on August 25 and
26. 
_____________


+ Gulf Coast ARES Emergency Net

As Katrina exited the southern tip of the Florida peninsula, the Gulf
Coast's uneasiness turned to alarm when the massive storm came ashore
near the under-sea-level port city of New Orleans. A new Battle for
New Orleans was soon unfolding.

South Texas SEC Jerry Reimer, KK5CA, informed us of Gulf Coast ARES
mutual assistance: "The South Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi ARRL
sections have had a mutual assistance agreement, primarily focused on
providing net control stations for HF nets.  See
<http://www.laarrl.org/emergops.htm>.  Accordingly, the Gulf Coast
ARES Emergency Net began operating Monday, August 29 on 3873 kHz and
7285 kHz, and health and welfare traffic nets are operating on 3935
kHz and 7290 kHz."

As of today, Friday, September 2, the West Gulf ARES Emergency Net
remains active on 7285 kHz days and 3873 kHz nights, handling
emergency and priority traffic only. The net has been operating 24/7.
Health-and-welfare traffic is being handled on 7290 kHz days and 3935
kHz nights. [As this is being written, I am listening to the net on
7285 kHz: they are performing a very professional job. -ed.]

Other sections are also providing mutual assistance. See related
stories below.
________________________


+ Louisiana Situation

Early on, Louisiana SEC Gary Stratton, K5GLS, said ARES teams were on
hold since no one was allowed to go into many areas of southern
Louisiana.  Following assessments, the nature of the ARES role could
be determined. Louisiana SM Mickey Cox, K5MC, said that Richard Webb,
NF5B, from New Orleans was on the air from the Louisiana State
University Hospital. He had reported early that sections of New
Orleans were under water. Louisiana Assistant Section Manager Mike
King, W5MP, from Slidell, also was on the air Monday helping provide
communication from a hospital on the north shore of Lake
Pontchartrain.

Now, ARES in Louisiana is supporting various relief organizations.
Stratton said most efforts have gone toward assisting with emergency
management and search-and-rescue operations. He says he has ARES
members ready to roll once state authorities reopen the hardest-hit
parishes that have been closed off to outsiders. "We have people on
standby from all over northern Louisiana and from the South Texas
Section basically champing at the bit trying to find out when they
can go," Stratton told ARRL. "It's a very tough wait."

Volunteers have been or will be deployed into the areas that are not
cordoned off, Stratton said. He also said most of the emergency
activity has been on HF, as repeaters were knocked out or have
exhausted emergency power resources. He noted that some systems north
of Lake Pontchartrain were coming back on line, however, as power is
restored. ARES volunteers from Bossier and Caddo parishes are being
deployed into areas that are still open. "We're handling a lot of
traffic from down there that ends up being made by cell phones from
people in the affected area to relatives to people up here in
Shreveport," Stratton explained, "and they call the 911 center in the
Bossier area, and we have a radio link from our EOC to Bossier." From
there the traffic goes onto the HF net. 
________________


+ Alabama Situation

Staff in Newington also talked with Alabama SM Greg Sarratt, W4OZK,
by telephone, in northern Alabama. Power outages occurred as Katrina
moved through the northern Alabama region, bringing flooding rains
and high winds. SKYWARN nets were very active, too, according to
Sarratt, who handled a volunteer shift at the Huntsville National
Weather Service (NWS). ARES groups throughout the state and
especially in central and south Alabama were providing communications
for their local emergency management agencies, and Red Cross
chapters.  
________________


+ Mississippi Situation

Mississippi Section Manager Malcolm Keown, W5XX, in Vicksburg, was
initially reported on the air using generator power. His area had no
electrical power or telephone service, so reports so far have been
scant. We did receive this: "the West Gulf ARES Emergency Net will
activate . . . check-ins will be limited to served agency
representatives as well as stations with emergency, priority, and
weather related traffic or stations in the affected storm event area
with information or inquiries."
 
Radio amateurs wanting to volunteer for ARES work were advised to
contact their District Emergency Coordinator or county Emergency
Coordinator.  A list of the Mississippi DECs and ECs is available on
the section website: see <http://www.arrlmiss.org/>.

Now, ARES members are active in the three hardest-hit
counties--Harrison, Hancock and Jackson. Assistant Mississippi SM
Edwin Franks, AD5IS, reported people have been calling him at home to
get information about friends and relatives in the stricken area. DEC
Thomas Hammack, W4WLF, in Gulfport, has been among those volunteering
at the Harrison County EOC. Amateurs in the three counties have been
using HF, VHF and UHF resources to support emergency management as
well as the Red Cross, The Salvation Army and the Baptist Men's
Kitchen. Amateurs also have been handling considerable
health-and-welfare traffic, he said.

Mutual Assistance to Mississippi: About a half dozen radio amateurs,
including the aforementioned Alabama SM Greg Sarratt, W4OZK, were
preparing to head to Jackson, Mississippi, as part of a Southern
Baptist Disaster Relief trip. They will provide communications and
other assistance for the relief group. Another group from Alabama
will be heading on to southern Mississippi or Louisiana once
assignments are confirmed. 
____________________

 
+ Northern Florida Mutual Assistance Team Effort

Storm riding veteran and Northern Florida SM Rudy Hubbard, WA4PUP, is
gathering a team to assist neighboring Mississippi upon clearance and
coordination by the Florida State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC).
Northern Florida SEC Joe Bushel, W2DWR, stated that radio amateurs
going should be prepared to spend a week in the area. VHF, UHF and HF
capabilities will be needed as well as digital, ATV and SSTV modes.
Bushel asked DECs for lists of volunteers. "Do not depart without a
Florida-issued Tracker Number," advised Bushel and Hubbard. Tracker
Numbers will only be available from them. The Northern Florida ARES
Net (3950 kHz) and Phone Net (3940 kHz) are good sources for
deployment information.
___________________ 


+ On Special Assignment: Hillsborough County (Florida) ARES/RACES

Gary Sessums, KC5QCN, Hillsborough County EC, reports that his
ARES/RACES organization has been tasked by the Florida Division of
Emergency Management (FDEM) through the Emergency Management
Assistance Compact (EMAC) to deploy the State of Florida Emergency
Deployable Interoperable Communications System (EDICS) and the State
of Florida Mutual Aid Radio Communications (MARC) Unit to the
Mississippi Gulf Coast in support of Hurricane Katrina recovery
operations.

In addition to the public safety communications equipment they will
be deploying, team members will interface with Amateur Radio, the
Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS), Civil Air Patrol (CAP), and
the Federal government's SHARES HF radio system. They will also
attempt to pass health and welfare traffic via amateur radio. 

The team was also tasked with providing communications support
locally in Tampa for the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS)
airlift of hospital patients from the flooded hospitals in New
Orleans to local hospitals in Hillsborough. ARES/RACES operators are
stationed at Tampa's airport and at the Hillsborough County EOC to
track plane landings and patient head count information. 

The team that was selected to deploy had taken the required courses,
including the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Course
(ARECC), and have specific skills needed to accomplish the mission.

[Late note: This team is en route to the affected areas as this is
being written-ed.]
__________________________


+ Known ARES HF and VHF Operations

The following is a list of ARES net frequencies that may be active,
courtesy of East Central Florida DEC designate Jay Musikar, AF2C:

3873 kHz Louisiana ARES Emergency (night) 
3873 kHz Texas ARES Emergency (night) 
3873 kHz Mississippi ARES Emergency 
3910 kHz Mississippi ARES 
3923 kHz Mississippi ARES 
3935 kHz Louisiana ARES (health and welfare) 
3935 kHz Texas ARES (health and welfare) 
3935 kHz Mississippi ARES (health and welfare) 
3950 kHz Northern Florida ARES 
7273 kHz Texas ARES (alternate) 
7285 kHz West Gulf ARES Emergency (day) 
7285 kHz Louisiana ARES Emergency (day) 
7285 kHz Mississippi ARES Emergency (day)
7285 kHz Texas ARES Emergency (day) 
7290 kHz Texas ARES (health and welfare) 
7290 kHz Louisiana ARES (health and welfare)
7290 kHz Texas ARES (health and welfare) 
7290 kHz Mississippi ARES (health and welfare)

Other reported frequencies:

7298 kHz Kessler AFB, Mississippi operator is Alan Deaton, KU4WN.
7666 kHz Kessler AFB, Mississippi (Note: this frequency is outside
the amateur band).

VHF Operations:

444.200 MHz pl 114.8 New Orleans repeater is operational and EOC in
Baton Rouge is monitoring; 147.380 MHz North shore of Lake
Ponchartrain; 147.241 MHz pl 114.8 is operational from East Jefferson
in New Orleans.

Active Station Operations in Affected Areas:

WB5LHS [Louisiana Office Of Homeland Security And Emergency
Preparedness Club Station], Baton Rouge EOC and links to FEMA; W5SLA
[Ozone Amateur Radio Club] Slidell (Louisiana) National Weather
Service Office; Larry Kirchner, KG7FF, Meadow Crest Hospital in
Grenta, Louisiana; Danny Smith, KC5EST, EOC Bay St Louis, Mississippi
(between New Orleans and Biloxi); Tom Miller, AC5TM, working on Levee
Pumping Stations; Bruce Kachline, KD4WDD, in port at Oak Harbor
Marina, Slidell, Louisiana, accepting incoming e-mail to
KD4WDD@winlink.org; Oris Grim III, N4CND, hauling materials for FEMA;
N4ARC, American Red Cross, Orlando, Florida.
_______________________________ 


+ ARRL MOU Partners' Activity

American Red Cross: The American Red Cross is providing a safe haven
for nearly 4,000 evacuees in more than 230 Red Cross shelters, from
the panhandle of Florida, across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Georgia, and Texas. The Red Cross is launching the largest
mobilization of resources for a single natural disaster involving
thousands of trained disaster relief workers, tons of supplies, and
support. The Red Cross relies on donations to do its work. The best
way to help is by making an online contribution to the Disaster
Relief Fund at: <http://www.redcross.org/>. 

More Red Cross: Earl Leach, WX4J, relayed this ARC message: "The Red
Cross has the same problems with communication as the general public.
We heed all directions from public officials, and do not enter areas
until they are deemed safe. The Red Cross does not have information
on the well being of any individuals. Our phone lines are being
overwhelmed with calls, and we appreciate the desire to know how
people fared during the storm. Medical and government officials will
contact families in serious cases if necessary. The best way to help
the Red Cross assist those affected by the storm is to remain patient
and help us keep our phone lines open for emergencies only."

The Salvation Army: Reports have the Salvation Army's SATERN net
handling more than 12,000 H/W message requests. The net directs
inquirers to the SATERN web site <http://www.satern.org/>, with the
on-the-air SATERN net looking for emergency traffic only. There has
been "no traffic out of the storm zone at this time." Look for the
SATERN net on 14.265 MHz, or possibly 40-meters as conditions
dictate. SATERN National Net Director Jim Adams, WA0LSB, says the net
is activating daily at 1400 UTC and continuing until 20 meters
closes. "We estimate that approximately 1000 Amateur Radio operators
are checking into the SATERN net each day," he said. "Most of them
have traffic and are an excellent source for relays and traffic
handling. Each day, we are able to pass many pieces of traffic."

An ARRL report had SATERN volunteers helping with rooftop rescues:
"Amateur Radio was instrumental in saving several stranded flood
victims this week in Louisiana and Mississippi."
_____________________


+ New Product May Help: PowerFlare Safety Light of Possible Use for
Deployments

An ARES EC and police officer, Kenneth Dueker, KB6BPM, in Palo Alto,
California, has invented the PowerFlare Safety Light
<http://www.powerflare.com/>. According to his note, the PowerFlare
safety light is about the size of a hockey puck, contains
ultra-bright LED lights, and is durable enough to be run over by
large trucks. Uses include: traffic safety, illumination and
signaling in emergency (earthquake, hurricane, power failure) light,
and Emergency Response Teams. 

The safety product is built in California and is currently in use by
law enforcement, fire departments, and other first responders, as
well as road construction and other users.  ARRL and ARES members may
be interested in PowerFlare. Source: Kenneth Dueker, KB6BPM,
PowerFlare Corporation President and CEO, e-mail:
kdueker@powerflare.com
_________________________


+ Editorial: Interoperability a Key Role for Amateur Radio

National Public Radio (NPR) featured a brief interview with a
Louisiana state senator yesterday, who made the observation that
their biggest problem is communication among the various responding
agencies. That comment brought back memories: interoperability among
agencies has been a long time, deeply entrenched problem, and is
fostered in part by poor coordination and planning, or to put it less
politely, "turf protection." It's a manifestation of human nature and
organizational behavior, I suppose. 

Reader Don Lamont, WD5AAH, commented: "My only problem is that I have
watched TV all day on the terrible destruction caused by Katrina and
listened to the government complain about communications. Will we
spend another billion dollars on communication gear that won't work
when they need it or will we call out the amateurs to provide the
communications."

So, here we have a new event that presents another perfect
opportunity for ARES members: fill the interoperability gap. That
opportunity will manifest itself in countless places, with countless
agencies in the days and weeks to come, as the Gulf Coast slowly
recovers. When the time comes for post-recovery evaluations, ARES may
find itself written into more inter-agency communication plans, with
more government and agency support. At least that's what we should
work for, when we get to that point down the long, hard road to come.
-- K1CE
___________________________


+ Final Note to Deployers:

"Caution" should be the keynote of those ARES members getting ready
to deploy to the affected areas. Make no mistake about it: you are
going into harm's way. There will be the usual gross hazards-the
weakened buildings and trees, the water, and debris. And there will
be unseen hazards from the microbial world. Before departure, see
your local clinic for shots that will likely include tetanus,
Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B, among others. Be sure that you are
prepared physically to endure a harsh environment, without the usual
creature comforts, including a bathroom. Also be prepared for the
mental hazards: you will see things that will be psychologically
disturbing. You will endure fatigue that you have never felt before.
It is a fatigue that you will feel to the core of your being.

But, know one more thing: We on the periphery will be with you in
spirit, and will be in front of our radios to support your efforts by
relaying your messages and offering words of encouragement.  We are
proud that you are one of us. - K1CE