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Welcome

Welcome. Florida ARES/RACES Members. AGENDA Emergency Communications Using Amateur Radio in Florida Saturday, June 11, 2004 10:00 – 10:30 Introduction, Welcome 10:30 – 11:30 State EOC Activities – 2004 11:30 – 12:00 State Liaison System 12:00 – 13:15 Lunch – On Your Own

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Welcome

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  1. Welcome Florida ARES/RACES Members

  2. AGENDA • Emergency Communications Using Amateur Radio in Florida • Saturday, June 11, 2004 • 10:00 – 10:30 Introduction, Welcome • 10:30 – 11:30 State EOC Activities – 2004 • 11:30 – 12:00 State Liaison System • 12:00 – 13:15 Lunch – On Your Own • 13:15 – Introduction and Review of Plan • Balance – Discussion of Plan • NLT 15:30 – Wrap Up and Close

  3. We’re GLAD You’re Here!

  4. Amateur Radio and Emergency Management – Each Other’s Best Friends During Times of Disaster – If they are talking to each other.

  5. Amateur Radio and Communications Blackouts Not dependent upon infrastructure Works without power lines, phone lines, microwave, internet, towers, cell sites, etc. Can Go Any Distance Around the world, across the street, anywhere in-between Can Use Any Communications Method Voice, Digital, Images, Video, Satellite Has Vast Manpower and Skills Pool 43,407 in Florida, 733,248 Nationwide dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers.

  6. Moral of Story: Amateur Radio Operators should be involved and participate in the entire planning process for emergency communications and be included in every test, drill and exercise of emergency management functions and responsibilities. Emergency Management officials at the City, County and State levels must be aware of the capabilities of Amateur Radio and recognize Amateur Radio as a valuable member of the Emergency Management team

  7. My Favorite Quote: “Trying to organize amateur radio operators is a lot like trying to herd cats” J. Fleming, 1962

  8. And here’s what usually happens when I try to herd cats or

  9. Then, sometimes I am the cat

  10. Moral of Story: If Amateur Radio is going to be a player in emergency communications, do your organization, planning, training and program development before the fact. The time to plan is not during the event.

  11. Amateur Radio Resources • ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services) County Amateur Radio Emergency Coordinator • Local Amateur Radio Club • ARRL (American Radio Relay League) • County, District or Section Leadership • http://www.arrl.org • 2. RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Services) • Civil Defense Legacy, Some Active Groups, County Emergency Management Agency • http://www.races.net/

  12. ARES vs. RACES ARES – Utilizes existing American Radio Relay League (ARRL) membership structure and organization, similar policies and procedures nationwide, strong leadership structure, all volunteers, self-administered, 100’s of groups statewide RACES – Legacy program from cold war, circa 1948, no longer supported by FEMA or FCC, requires very strong leadership from local groups and constant input by local EMA, less than 10 groups active in Florida

  13. ARES vs. RACES It’s up to you and your local group which to support and operate, some communities have supported both and some have created their own Auxiliary Communications System

  14. Emergency Managers: Talk to your ARES Emergency Coordinator, learn the capabilities of amateur radio and what it can do to enhance your emergency communications during times of disaster, communications blackouts and special events. Amateur Operators: Talk to your local Emergency Management Coordinator, get to know their requirements and how you fit in the overall emergency communications plans. Demonstrate what you can do. You are communicators. COMMUNICATE !

  15. Amateur Radio and

  16. Amateur Radio Operators America’s First Emergency Responders

  17. Escambia Holmes Okaloosa Santa Rosa Jackson CAPITAL DISTRICT Nassau Jefferson Gadsden Washington Hamilton Calhoun Leon Madison Walton Bay Columbia Duval Baker CROWN DISTRICT Liberty WEST PANHANDLE DISTRICT Suwannee Wakulla Taylor Union Clay Gulf Lafayette Bradford EAST PANHANDLE DISTRICT Franklin StJohns Franklin Gilchrist Dixie Alachua Putnam Flagler Levy NORTHERN FLORIDA SECTION SUWANNEE DISTRICT EAST CENTRAL DISTRICT Marion Volusia WEST CENTRAL DISTRICT Lake Sumter Citrus Seminole Capital District - Franklin, Gadsden, Hamilton, Jefferson, Leon, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla Crown District - Bradford, Baker, Duval, Jax Beaches, Clay, Nassau, Putnam, St Johns East Central District - Flagler, Lake, Orange, Seminole, Volusia East Panhandle District - Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Washington Suwannee District - Alachua, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Levy, Suwannee, Union West Central District - Citrus, Hernando, Marion, Sumter West Panhandle District - Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa and Walton Hernando Orange Brevard Pasco Osceola Hillsborough Pinellas Polk Indian River Manatee Hardee Okeechobee St. Lucie Highlands De Soto Sarasota Martin West Central Florida Section Glades Charlotte Palm Beach Lee Hendry Collier Broward Southern Florida Section Dade Monroe

  18. Amateur Radio Activities Charley – 29 Tracker Missions Frances – 54 Tracker Missions Ivan – 27 Tracker Missions Jeanne – 9 Tracker Missions TOTAL – 112 Tracker Missions

  19. Amateur Radio Activities Deployed by/through State EOC: Charley – 165 Operators Frances – 194 Operators Ivan – 20 Operators Jeanne – 39 Operators

  20. Amateur Radio Activities Unknown Numbers: 500 requested to ARRL by AE4MR on 8/17 – Unknown Response 300 requested to media by AE4MR on 8/20 – Unknown Response Totally Unknown number of self-deployed, local deployed or non-Tracker deployed operators

  21. Amateur Radio Activities through SEOC 4 Storms Total: 44 Calendar Days 137 Storm Days 418 Volunteer Amateurs 17,498 Amateur Hours

  22. Amateur Radio Activities Assets Deployed by/through State EOC: 17 Communications Vans/Trailers 6 Antenna Repair Crews Some of the 1400 generators deployed Some of the 2500 radios deployed 3 Amateur Repeaters

  23. Amateur Radio Activities Traffic Passed/Handled by SEOC SEDAN - 42 Formal Messages, active in 28 EOC’s APRS – State wide tracking of assets, >100 assets monitored HF– Monitoring of HWN, NHC, NFLARES, SFLARES Nets whenever active VHF– Local Repeaters Monitored during all events, local coordination only

  24. Lessons Learned What did we do right? Well, lets try to do it again ! What did we do wrong? Lets not do that anymore !

  25. Done Right: • No loss of communications to critical agencies • Magnificent Response from Amateur Community • Immediate and comprehensive mobilization • Technologically, everything worked • Provided needed and vital communications • Developed a system mid-Frances • No Responders Injured or Endangered • Provided immediate, accurate intelligence • Provided service to most agencies, functions

  26. Done Wrong: • Accepted information from unreliable sources • Too slow to ‘spool-up’ • Failed to commit maximum resources at onset • No central clearing house for amateur activities • Didn’t utilize or recognize depth of reserve forces • Allowed improper deployment of valuable resources • Non-amateurs involved in amateur decisions • Amateurs involved in non-amateur decisions • Amateurs assigned to non-communications functions • Initially “lost track” of deployed resources • Mutual Aid not invoked quickly enough (EMAC) • As communicators, we failed to communicate

  27. Lessons Learned: • React Quicker for worst case scenario • Anticipate needs based on intelligence/forecasts • Organize response capabilities • Assign Central deployment authority at SEOC • Prioritize communications needs and requests • Minimum level of training, familiarity required • Amateur operators need to be in management loop • Standardized procedures, policies needed statewide • Paperwork, Forms, ID Badges • Florida is One State, not 3 ARRL Sections

  28. Plan of Action: Improve Training of Amateurs and non-Amateurs ARRL EMCOMM Training to ALL ARES/RACES FEMA NIMS Training to ARRL Leadership FL DEM Tracker Training Improve coordination between local amateurs/EM Training for EM Professionals Insure they talk to each other, know each others capabilities, expectations, etc. Update Emergency Plans at State Level, ARRL Section Level and local levels Recognize state requirements in section plans

  29. Plan of Action: Develop a “STATE-WIDE” Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Plan or interface the plans of the Northern Florida, West Central Florida and Southern Florida Plans. It’s one State, people, not 3 and Hurricanes don’t stop at State or County lines or City Limits Produce and participate in more realistic SET and Field Day events Endorse, recognize and/or fund only ARES/RACES groups having NIMS and EMCOMM training Research and distribute grant fund possibilities for amateur radio groups, assist in grant processes

  30. EMCOMM and NIMS The basis for all support, funding and deployment of ARES/RACES amateur radio assets and resources by the Florida Division of Emergency Management in the future will be the acceptance of and participation in the ARRL EMCOMM Training and the FEMA NIMS (ICS) Training, by the deployed resource.

  31. EMCOMM and NIMS The Florida Division of Emergency Management will support and endorse NIMS and EMCOMM training for ARRL SCM’s, ASCM’s, SEC’s, ASEC’s, DEC’s, ARES EC’s, AEC’s and Members RACES Radio Officers and RACES Members Training will be on-line, preferably, but on-site classroom training will be offered at central locations and convenient times.

  32. TRAINING EMCOMM – http://www.arrl.org/cce/ NIMS – http://www.fema.gov/nims/ TRACKER http://www.eoconline.org/welcome.nsf?Open

  33. Tracker Tracker is the system used by FDEM for all mission assignments, messaging, reports, purchasing, deployments and all actions and activities relating to the incident. “If it ain’t in Tracker, it didn’t happen”. Access to Tracker is via local on-site terminals, through the web, remote net or dial in, radio, satellite, cell phone or PDA’s, etc. Any emergency support group, including amateur groups, can have full or limited access to Tracker. It can be training intensive, however, and steps are underway to simplify it for occasional users.

  34. Dr. Gray’s Hurricane Forecast for 2005 (Revised 05/31/05) ITEM 2004 2005 ActualForecast Named Storms 1115 Hurricanes 68 Major Hurricanes (Cat 3+) 4 Major Storm Landfill = 77% (100 year average = 52%) Don’tcha think we oughtta start planning?

  35. Kudos To: Rudy – WA4PUP Randy – AG4UU Dale – N4SGQ Bill – WY8O Dave – AE4MR Bill – KI4HGK Carlton – AG4UT Kimo – K4IMO Brian – AI4AI John – NZ4QJ Bonnie – W4FFX Tom and Glenda – KD4NWO and KD4MWO In Memoriam James (Jim) Goldsberry KD4GR Nils Millergren WA4NDA

  36. Kudos To: And the other, probably 3000 or more, amateur operators who selflessly volunteered their time, resources and assets to help their fellow Floridians in time of need

  37. Applicable State Statutes G.S. 252.41 Emergency management support forces. G. S. 768.1355 Florida Volunteer Protection Act. G.S. 1768.28 Waiver of sovereign immunity in tort actions.

  38. KA4EOC at the Florida Emergency Operations Center Supporting Amateur Radio and Amateur Radio Operators WD4FFX, K4IMO, AI4AI, W4FFX, KI4HGK, W4MNY, KF4KHI, KB4PNY, AC4TO, K9RXG

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