ARES Letter for March 20, 2008
The ARES E-Letter March 20, 2008 ================= Rick Palm, K1CE, Editor <http://www.qrz.com/database?callsign=K1CE>, =================================== ARES reports, other related contributions, editorial questions or comments: <k1ce@arrl.net>;;; =================================== + The View from Flagler County As this issue is being composed, I am checked into the Northern Florida ARES Net on 3950 kHz, as I am on most mornings. The net has been in operation for years, and functions efficiently on a roster-based system of check-ins. The regulars are leaders in ARES across the peninsula north of the I-4 corridor, and the panhandle. Check-ins include State EOC staffers positioned at the Amateur Radio station located in the rear area of the huge operations room there at the Tallahassee facility. The net was designed and effected to represent the interests of northern Florida in liaison with the State EOC. It is reassuring to listen to, on a daily basis, the incredible amount of support the net receives and generates for local, county, regional and state levels of ARES, and its clients - the various emergency management agencies, both governmental and non-governmental, at each of these levels. Only by daily activity, training and preparedness, will we be able to fully meet the emergency communication needs of clients when it hits the fan here in disaster-prone northern Florida. _______________ In This Issue: + The View from Flagler County + A Model of MARS-ARES-RACES Cooperation in Oregon Storm Response + ARRL EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, On Line Seminar April 19 + EMCOMMWEST '08 - Coming Back To Reno + 2008 GAREC Slated for June in Germany + Palm Beach County Preps for Hurricane Season + Michigan Amateurs Team Up With State + LETTERS: Please Include Bands and Modes in Reports + LETTERS: No Red Cross/ARRL Agreement At Present + LETTERS: More on Certification + ARRL Media Relations Form Released for ARES PR + ARES Training Recommendations + Mutual Aid (ARESMAT) Concept + RESOURCES: New EmComm Packet Terminal Software + Resources for ARES Ops + K1CE For a Final ________________ + A Model of MARS-ARES-RACES Cooperation in Oregon Storm Response When the Pacific Northwest was battered by hurricane-strength winds and torrential rain last December, Joe Johnston, N7HAE, of Knappa, Oregon, operated for five days, serving as a model of ARES, RACES, and MARS working together with state and local authorities during crunch time. "I was sitting here [in northwest Oregon] with no power, no phone, no cell phone, no Internet and for a time, no water," recalled Johnston, a retired National Weather Service staffer. "All roads were closed due to mud slides and fallen trees. Clatsop County ARES/RACES activated a net of which I became a part. I switched back and forth between Amateur frequencies and MARS frequencies many times, and spent the next five days on generator power relaying traffic from the Clatsop County EOC [in Astoria] to the OEM Center in Salem, while keeping the Department of Homeland Security informed via MARS Elements of Essential Information (EEI) reports." Two crucial messages handled by Johnston were Clatsop County's state of emergency declaration and the local government's appeal to the governor for assistance. With telephones out, the two text files traveled the first 16 miles by Pactor from Astoria to Johnston's shack just up the Columbia River. Propagation was extremely poor and fading, but after a search he was able to connect with the amateur WinLink PMBO operated by William Rohrer, W7IJ, near Ft. Lewis, Washington. WinLink carried on from there. Johnston later got message receipt confirmation from operators at W7OEM, the Oregon Emergency Management Amateur Radio Unit station. Johnston signed up with Army MARS as AAR0PY/T in 2005, three weeks after Hurricane Katrina. His years in the weather service gave him experience with emergency situations and Amateur Radio. In 2006 he logged over 500 hours of MARS on-air time. And in late 2007 when MARSgrams started flowing again to and from American troops overseas, Johnston relayed them via the Army MARS WinLink messaging system as AAT0TOR. During the December storm, Johnston filed his MARS information reports (EEIs) via an Air Force MARS PMBO, AFD5WA, in Puyallup, Washington. Within a few hours of the initial EEI, federal authorities released emergency resources at Camp Rilea, the Oregon National Guard training base on the coast near Astoria. At one point, Johnston couldn't find a digital connect due to the poor conditions, so he put out a voice call for relay assistance on the 80-meter amateur band. Mark Beadle, KD7ZPP, responded from Reno, Nevada, who assisted with the coordination of traffic for Clatsop and other coastal counties in distress. In summary, Johnston filed reports via the MARS WinLink messaging system, used amateur Pactor and WinLink for communication with the EOCs, handled traffic via the ARRL National Traffic System, VHF voice and Packet, and finally 80-meter daytime phone to find contacts. His after-action report to MARS listed 60 pieces of record traffic processed. Chief of Army MARS Stu Carter said in his bi-weekly broadcast, "I take great pride in sharing the story of this operation with our membership. He leaves with us a great example of dedication and initiative." - Bill Sexton, AAA9PC/AAR1FP/N1IN, Army MARS Public Affairs Director, <n1in@arrl.net>; + ARRL EmComm Manager Dennis Dura, K2DCD, On Line Seminar April 19 Meet with ARRL's Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager, Dennis Dura K2DCD, on an April 19 on-line seminar hosted by the ARRL Atlantic Division. Dura will present information about the ARRL's EmComm program and what he's been working on. This webinar/teleconference is designed for any club members, ARES members, and anyone else interested in emergency communications. You do not have to be a member of the Atlantic Division to register and participate. This is a free on-line presentation and teleconference. (The telephone call to the conference center may be a toll call, however). There will be a question and answer period after the presentation. Interested amateurs can register for this webinar/teleconference at: <https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/874893521> -- Bill Edgar, N3LLR, ARRL Atlantic Division Director + EMCOMMWEST '08 - Coming Back To Reno Reno, Nevada -- EMCOMMWEST 2008 will be held May 2-4 this year at a new venue: the Circus Circus Hotel Resort in downtown Reno. Main speakers include Dennis Dura, K2DCD, Emergency Preparedness and Response Manager of the ARRL Headquarters staff who will deliver the keynote address, and host a forum. Special guest for the Saturday night banquet is Gordon West, WB6NOA, from southern California. West will present a forum on an introduction to emergency communications, and will have a display booth with his mobile communications unit. Banquet seating is limited; reservations should be made early. A video presentation by Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH, special counsel of the FCC's enforcement staff will also be featured. Registration is open on-line via the Web site <http://www.emcommwest.org/>. Special room rates are available from Circus Circus, via a link on the Web site. Forums covering leadership, served agencies, MARS, the latest technology, and many new presentations will highlight this year's event. A special event station on HF, UHF and VHF will be active in commemoration of the event. For more information, contact <info@emcommwest.org>; + 2008 GAREC Slated for June in Germany The fourth annual Global Amateur Radio Emergency Communications (GAREC) Conference <http://www.iaru.org/emergency/GAREC2008Program.pdf> is scheduled for June 26-27, 2008 in Friedrichshafen, Germany, just prior to HamRadio 2008 <http://www.hamradio-friedrichshafen.de/html/en/>. That event, called "the Dayton of Europe," is scheduled for June 27-29. GAREC's schedule is continuously being updated and is subject to change. Dr Hamadoun Toure, HB9EHT, Secretary General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), is scheduled to present the opening remarks at GAREC-08; Dr Toure received his Amateur Radio license in 2007. Ole Garpestad, LA2RR, President of IARU Region 1, is also scheduled to participate in the opening remarks. GAREC participants will assess the state of EmComm preparedness in each of the IARU regions, as well as discuss experiences of the 2006 and 2007 EmComm Parties-on-the-Air and the future of the Global Simulated Emergency Test (SET). Delegates will also discuss implementation of the WRC-03 modifications to Article 25 of the Radio Regulations, in respect to third-party traffic during emergencies and exercises. The part of Article 25 concerning Emergency Communications states "Amateur stations may be used for transmitting international communications on behalf of third parties only in case of emergencies or disaster relief. An administration may determine the applicability of this provision to amateur stations under its jurisdiction" (RR 25.3), and "Administrations are encouraged to take the necessary steps to allow amateur stations to prepare for and meet communication needs in support of disaster relief" (RR 25.9A). GAREC delegates will also discuss the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) and the International Federation of Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), as well as the MOU between the IARU and the ITU. IARU Vice President Tim Ellam, VE6SH, with assistance from IFRC Secretary General Markku Niskala and IARU International Coordinator for Emergency Communications Hans Zimmermann, HB9AQS/F5VKP, will lead the discussion. A representative from the ITU will also be on hand. Each of the three IARU Region Presidents will speak on the status of EmComm in their respective region. Seppo Sisatto, OH1VR, and Juha Hulkko, OH8NC, will present on the possibility of Emergency Communication Centers around the world. There will also be a talk on D-STAR in emergency communications. Case studies of emergency communication practices will also be presented. Those wishing to attend GAREC-08 are encouraged to register on-line <http://www.korkee.net/Garec2008/>. For those registering prior to June 12, the fee is 55 euros; after June 12, the fee is 75 euros. GAREC will take place in the Conference Center of the Friedrichshafen Messe in the Oesterreich Room. Travel and lodging information for GAREC and HamRadio 2008 is available on-line at the HamRadio 2008 Web page. + Palm Beach County Preps for 2008 Hurricane Season In preparation for the 2008 hurricane season, Palm Beach County (FL) has been making a number of upgrades to its VHF RACES repeaters, including Project 25 (P25) digital compliance on their coordinated 145.390, 146.880, and 147.360 MHz frequencies with associated antenna system upgrades. In addition to replacing the 15 year old equipment of differing makes with identical latest model equipment, the County also added a satellite receiver network to its primary 147.360 MHz repeater located in the middle of the 2,500 square mile county to improve coverage for those hams using hand-held radios. All of the repeaters are geographically separated on locations that also house the County's 800 MHz trunking system, are on integrated UPS/generator back-up systems, programmed for "mixed mode" that allow for both analog and digital transmissions, and are also capable of all of the other P25 digital features to include unit paging, Soft ID (call-sign transmission), SMS, conventional talk-group capabilities, and unit emergency alert. The repeaters are managed by Mark Filla, KS4VT, who is the County Radio Manager/RACES Officer and maintained by Rudy Gibson, KI4IZI, David Case, KI4IZJ, and Ken Denker, KI4IZL, who are all employed full time by the County in the Electronic Services and Security Division. Filla stated "These open repeaters are in our complement for our volunteer RACES operators when we activate and are otherwise available for any ham in the area to utilize for either narrow band digital or wide-band analog QSO's. The interest in P25 in the South Florida area has been growing and we have new users with digital capabilities checking weekly from all over SE Florida." In addition to the County upgrading its repeaters to P25, other Florida repeater owners have decided to replace their equipment with like technology that can be found on the Florida Repeater Council Web site: <http://www.florida-repeaters.org/apco25proof.pdf> and a nationwide Amateur Radio P25 repeater map can be found on this Web site: <http://www.frappr.com/P25AmateurRepeaters> + Michigan Amateurs Team Up With State ARRL Michigan Section Manager Dale Williams, WA8EFK, and Michigan SEC John McDonough, WB8RCR, have been working with the Homeland Security Division of the Michigan State Police Emergency Management office to align the capabilities of the Amateur Radio Public Service Corps (ARPSC) more closely with the communications needs of the state's public service agencies. ARPSC -- Michigan's integrated ARES/RACES program -- also participates in the Michigan State Department Emergency Management Coordinators Quarterly meetings at the State EOC. It is here, Williams said, that discussion of the Public Safety communications grants are discussed and their investment justifications are detailed. "We have been afforded the opportunity to discuss Amateur Radio's involvement with communications interoperability, as well as our ability to fill gaps in disparate networks and outages. As a result of these conferences, I was asked to include a list of ARPSC's needs for the next three years." To further that end, Williams said that they have been successful in incorporating the ARPSC program into the Michigan State Preparedness Priorities. Michigan intends to develop the ARPSC into a fully integrated communications team operating under common standards and procedures, including maintaining and enhancing the statewide Amateur Radio communications system; establishing suggested standards for Amateur Radio capabilities in local Emergency Operations Centers; and developing a public awareness and education program to bolster the ranks of Amateur Radio participants. The hope, Williams said, is to have all of this implemented by 2010. Williams said, "Since the early 1980s, Michigan has operated an integrated ARES, RACES and NTS program referred to as the Michigan Amateur Radio Public Service Corps. By combining the forces of these normally separate structures, these valuable resources are pulled together to form an active trained and unified organization. The SEC also holds the positions of Section Traffic Manager and RACES Radio Officer. Membership in ARPSC is open to all amateurs and is structured to allow a beginning ham to progress from an entry-level position to a RACES-qualified operator by meeting specific training milestones." "There is no doubt that by presenting a unified organization, the Michigan ARPSC has demonstrated the effective use of resources, training and our unique capabilities so that we have become a well respected public service organization in the state," Williams said. - ARRL Letter + LETTERS: Please Include Bands and Modes in Reports ARES operators reporting ARES activations, please include the bands and modes employed. I expect that 2-meters, 440 MHz, and voice will be reported most often, but this information is helpful to us in knowing what others use as models for the rest of us. Please also emphasize the need for good voice and traffic handling skills. Although the newer modes are impressive, in preparing for our April exercise at the local nuclear power plant, I am training on the basics of voice communications using 2-meters. Sharing lessons learned and preparing for interoperability is the function of ARES newsletters. It helps ECs to know and understand what bands and modes get the job done in the field. It also helps those who may be called upon to respond, and what they need in their "go bags" to hit the ground running. -- Joe Tokarz, KB9EZZ, EC LaSalle County, Illinois + LETTERS: No Red Cross/ARRL Agreement At Present In light of my experience as a RACES volunteer in the past year and a half, and not knowing how much either side may have contributed to the hold-up, I must stress how bad it is that there has been no resolution of the ARRL/Red Cross MOU apparent impasse at this time. Delaying the renewal of the MOU can only degrade the ARRL-ARC relationship at every level. Since it is unlikely that hams, or the ARRL, will stop participating in Red Cross activities, it seems to me that the decision is not whether to have an MOU, but how to write it in a way that respects the ARC's concerns for its clients, and the concerns of ham volunteers for their own privacy. AND, to make that decision and act on it as soon as possible. -- Mike Harla, N2MHO, AEC, Cumberland County, New Jersey As one personally who went through the benign Red Cross background check procedure, it is the League that stands to lose the most from this. It needs to recognize that it is the junior partner in the agreement when it comes to Disaster Relief. From what I saw at Dayton last year, it looks like the Red Cross is not changing its background check policy (mandated on it by Congress) to accommodate the overwrought concerns of a few hams and is starting to create its own cadre of ARC hams outside of ARES. SATERN also requires background checks on its volunteers. -- Gary Wilson, K2GW, Southern New Jersey SEC [Editor's note: The ARRL President and staff have made resolution of the issues surrounding the Red Cross Statement of Understanding (SOU) a top priority, and I expect that the document will be renewed soon. - K1CE] + LETTERS: More on Certification In the last issue, Steve Fleckenstein, N2UBP, nails down a problem that is growing in the whole of Amateur Radio not only with certification but with licensing itself. With the publication of the license question pool we are now getting all classes of license holders who have memorized answers and passed a test without gaining any knowledge of Amateur Radio at all. The ARRL's rush to make the license ever easier to obtain is going to take a toll on the knowledge base as time goes on. No organization ever improved its stature by lowering requirements for membership. If you want to make an entry level license easy to obtain to get people in the door, that is fine, but there needs to be some "time in grade" and a different kind of testing for advancement to assure that there is an ever growing knowledge base in the hobby. If not, we are doomed to have the same kind of knowledge base that is exhibited in the Citizen Band ranks. The ARRL needs to take a serious look at this. -- Bill Stietenroth, K5ZTY, Houston,TX I appreciate the comments on certification by Fleckenstein, although I think he has cast a very wide net. Speaking as an individual, not as an employee of Oracle USA, I have to take exception to his characterization of validation being limited to one's test-taking ability. Oracle Database Administration certification, at its highest level, offers a 2-day practicum (usually run from 8 AM to 7 PM both days), that throws anywhere from 8-10 real-world scenarios that do not test your ability to memorize a list of questions, but test your ability to get the job done when things don't go perfectly! Needless to say, there are not many who pass it...making it a very rare feat, but one I'm convinced is valued by employers (many employers pay for the OCM testing for their top guys!) I would like to see a practicum-based certification process for emergency management folks, similar to the Oracle Certified Master program. We could brainstorm ideas for what such a test might constitute. -- Gerry Jurrens, N2GJ, <n2gj@arrl.net>;, Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator, Southern NJ Section + ARRL Media Relations Form Released for ARES PR Allen Pitts, W1AGP, Media and PR Manager of the ARRL Headquarters staff, has released the following report form to be used by ARES leaders for reporting ARES activations to the media: ________ The _______ Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES(r)) has been activated to assist with primary/auxiliary emergency communications for this event. The group is coordinated by _____(name of EC or acting EC). _______________ ARES is working with the ______________ county/city/town Office of Emergency Management and the following agency(ies): ___________ The group is providing communications links between: _________ Amateur Radio operators are stationed at the following locations to provide communications assistance: ___ (#) of Amateur Radio operators are at the sites ___(#) of additional Amateur Radio operators are on standby for additional communications needs. Insert boilerplate paragraph about the local ARES group here: For more information contact: ________________________ (name of acting PIO) ________________________ (e-mail) ________________________ (phone and cell numbers) _________ For more information on the new form, contact Allen Pitts, W1AGP, <w1agp@arrl.org>; at ARRL Headquarters. + ARES Training Recommendations All ARES operators should periodically review their training and qualifications. Now, is a good time to do so as we look ahead to the start of hurricane season just a few months away. First and foremost, ARES operators should take Level One of the ARRL Emergency Communications courses, progressing to Levels Two and Three when possible. Here are some links to find out more about the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Courses: - Frequently Asked Questions <http://www.arrl.org/cce/faq.html> - CCE Course Syllabi <http://www.arrl.org/cce/syllabus.html> - Registration for Online Courses <https://www.arrl.org/forms/cce/> - Listing of Classroom Courses and Exams <http://www.arrl.org/cce/activity-list.php3> - CI/CE Search Page <http://www.arrl.org/cce/cice-search.php3> - Discussion Forum (Members Only) <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/forums/w-agora.php3> - CCE Student Page (Members Only) <http://www.arrl.org/members-only/cce/> - Course Listing <http://www.arrl.org/cce/courses.html> In addition to the ARRL Emergency Communications Courses, field operators should also complete certain formal training courses: -- Red Cross combined course in Adult CPR/First Aid Basics -- Red Cross online Introduction to Disaster Services <http://www.redcross.org/flash/course01_v01/> -- FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to Incident Command System) -- FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents) -- FEMA IS-700 (National Incident Management System) <http://training.fema.gov/IS/> Except for the first two, all courses are free of charge, and CPR/First Aid may be free to members of the Red Cross. CPR/First Aid is the only course that requires periodic refreshers and the only course that must be taken in person rather than on the Internet. The American Heart Association (AHA) also offers Basic Life Support (BLS) courses. Where FEMA courses exist in more than one current version - aimed at somewhat different audiences - any of the currently-available versions will suffice. + Mutual Aid (ARESMAT) Concept Most disasters are local and of relatively short duration, which is why the traditional county and Section-based ARES approach is appropriate most of the time. However, disasters do not conform to state and ARRL Section boundaries. Disasters that are truly national-level catastrophes require national-level coordination. Regional disasters of less magnitude than, say, the 2005 Gulf coast hurricanes, do not require national coordination but may need well-organized responses from several adjacent ARRL Sections. At the present time, relatively few ARRL Sections have formal, written agreements with neighboring Sections spelling out how emergency communications cooperation would be structured and managed. The ARRL National Emergency Response Planning Committee (NERPC) recommended that Section Managers should consider developing such agreements with one or more neighboring Sections, depending on the disaster hazards likely in their parts of the country. These agreements would become appendices to existing Section emergency plan documents. The NERPC suggested that the following points should be among those considered in the mutual aid planning process and the development of formal agreements: 1: Share current phone numbers, postal addresses and e-mail addresses for the Section Manager, Section Emergency Coordinator and Section Traffic Manager in each adjacent section. 2: List major likely hazards in each Section. 3: List available resources Sections have that can be used to assist adjacent Sections. If ARESMAT are available, then list locations, points of contact, and capabilities. 4: If ARESMAT resources are needed, then Section leadership should be familiar with and utilize ARESMAT information and requirements in EC-003 and the PSCM. 5: List the major served agencies in each Section, whether or not a written support agreement exists, and the point of contact for each. Identify any volunteer insurance coverage, credentialing, and expense reimbursement which may be available from these agencies. 6: Describe the activation authority and the process for requesting and providing out-of-Section mutual assistance in each Section. 7: List or summarize Section currently-installed emergency communications capabilities and points of contact. 8: List Sections' major VHF and HF routine, operations and traffic net frequencies. 9: List Sections' Web site addresses. 10: It is suggested that the agreement should specify that mutual assistance can be invoked only by Section Managers, Section Emergency Coordinators, or specific designees. 11: It is recommended that the agreement should require certain documentation be kept when the agreement has been invoked. For example: daily documentation and logbook for SITREPS (situation reports), after-action reports, and notes on future needs. 12: It is recommended that the agreement should require each Section Manager who requests or provides mutual assistance to prepare a written after-action report which summarizes each mutual assistance activation. This report should be sent to the involved SMs and to the ARRL Field and Educational Services Manager no later than 30 days following the stand-down from each mutual assistance activation. 13: Plans should be reviewed by each SM, SEC and STM annually, and updated as necessary. + RESOURCES: New EmComm Packet Terminal Software I have written a new Packet Radio terminal program, which serves emergency communications interests, called "EcomSCS." EcomScs has 2 neat features: One, it can send and receive any type of file, Binary or Text, without the use of any special protocol. The second feature is message formatting, making it easy to keep vital information. More info at: <http://www.qsl.net/kb2scs> -- submitted by John Blowsky, KB2SCS <kb2scs@arrl.net>; + Resources for ARES Ops FEMA National Incident Management System: <http://www.fema.gov/nims/> IARU Emergency Communications: <http://www.iaru.org/emergency/> IARU Region 2 Emergency Communications: <http://www.iaru-r2emcor.net/> Major Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Nets: Hurricane Watch Net: <http://www.hwn.org/> Maritime Mobile Service Net: <http://www.mmsn.org/> Salvation Army (SATERN) Net: <http://www.satern.org/> Waterway Net: <http://www.waterwayradio.net/> VoIP SKYWARN/Hurricane Net: <http://www.voipwx.net/> ARRL/Served Agency Memoranda of Understanding: <http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/> National Volunteer Organizations Active in Disaster: <http://www.nvoad.org/> American Red Cross: <http://www.redcross.org/> National Weather Service: <http://www.nws.noaa.gov/> Department of Homeland Security - Citizen Corps, FEMA: <http://www.citizencorps.gov/>, <http://www.dhs.gov/>, <http://www.fema.gov/> Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials- International: <http://www.apcointl.org/> National Communications System: <http://www.ncs.gov/> National Association of Radio and Telecommunications Engineers, Inc.: <http://www.narte.org/> Salvation Army: <http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf> Society of Broadcast Engineers: <http://www.sbe.org/> Quarter Century Wireless Association, Inc. <http://www.QCWA.org/> Radio Emergency Associated Communication Teams: <http://www.reactintl.org/> SKYWARN: <http://www.skywarn.org/> + K1CE For a Final An ARES E-Letter QSO Party is planned for this coming Fall season. The exchange will be Name, ARES Title, and Jurisdiction. For examples: Rick, Assistant SEC, Northern Florida; or George, EC, Middlesex County, Eastern Massachusetts. Bands are 80, 40 and 20 meters, phone only. One point each per QSO. Bonus points for emergency power, and operating from an EOC or Served Agency facility. More information to follow. With more than 25,000 subscribers to the ARES E-Letter, a QSO Party should generate a lot of activity, training exercise, and just plain fun! Copyright 2008 American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved
