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THE ROLE OF THE AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE IN MODERN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

THE ROLE OF THE AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE IN MODERN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS. Lawrence W.. Carr, KE6AGJ Section Emergency Coordinator, ARES Santa Clara Valley Section, ARRL. PRESENTED AT THE FCARES MEETING, FOSTER CITY, APRIL 8, 2013.

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THE ROLE OF THE AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE IN MODERN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

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  1. THE ROLE OF THE AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE IN MODERN EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS Lawrence W.. Carr, KE6AGJ Section Emergency Coordinator, ARES Santa Clara Valley Section, ARRL PRESENTED AT THE FCARES MEETING, FOSTER CITY, APRIL 8, 2013

  2. SANTA CLARA VALLEY SECTIONAMATEUR RADIO RELAY LEAGUE

  3. MY BACKGROUND ARES Emergency Coordinator, NASA Ames Research Center, (1995-1999) District Emergency Coordinator, Santa Clara County (1999-2012)Section Emergency Coordinator, Santa Clara Valley Section (2005- ) RACES Radio Officer, RACES, NASA Ames Research Center (1995-1999) Chief Radio Officer, RACES, Santa Clara County (1999-2012) ACSAuxiliary Communications Service Officer, Santa Clara County (2002-2012)

  4. OUTLINE OF TALK OVERVIEW OF ARES, RACES, AND ACS REVIEW OF ARES/RACES IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY HOW TO BECOME AN EFFECTIVE AMATEUR RADIO COMMUNICATOR HOW TO ORGANIZE AS AN ARES GROUP ARES/RACES IN OTHER COUNTIES OF SECTION WHERE DOES SANTA CLARA VALLEY SECTION ARES FIT? WHAT DOES IT OFFER? CONCLUSIONS

  5. AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE Established by the American Radio Relay League Created in 1914, ARES is the oldest radio–based emergency communications service in existence ARES provides training and organizational structure for volunteers who provide ham radio communications during emergencies Focus is on public service communications

  6. RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE Provides ham radio communications for local government during emergencies RACES responders serve as unpaid government employees RACES responders must be activated by local government RACES responders must be registered as Disaster Service Workers by the agency that sponsors them RACES responders are supervised and directed by the agency that activates them There are over 700 amateur radio operators presently available in Santa Clara County RACES

  7. AUXILLIARY COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE Created by State of CA after watching RACES at work Coordinates ALL volunteer communications groups including RACES Is responsible for volunteer communications mutual aid between counties during emergencies Facilitates utilization of telephone, television, other telecommunications experts during times of emergency

  8. ARES/RACES IN SCCo • The term “ARES/RACES” is used to describe the primary amateur radio communications service in Santa Clara County • There are ARES teams in each city; these become the RACES responders for each city during emergencies • About 700 Amateur Radio licensees registered by SCCo OES as Disaster Service Workers • When activated, they serve as unpaid government workers • Organization in Santa Clara County: • Small County staff • City Radio Officers and members in each city in county • Plus NASA-Ames, and Stanford University

  9. ARES/RACES CAPABILITIES Distributed communications system – each operator is stand-alone radio station Local communications using handheld and mobile radios County-wide communications using Linked repeaters Voice, data and video capabilities

  10. INTEGRATION AND TRAINING (Capabilities alone are not valuable) Each city has a Radio Officer; this Radio Officer Is also the Emergency Coordinator for ARES in that city Each city has a training program for city responders County has a training program for mutual aid communicators Close cooperation with city and county OES Participation in training exercises Weekly radio nets to maintain readiness Quarterly county-wide drills

  11. SANTA CLARA COUNTY ARES/RACES WEB SITE

  12. SCCO ARES/RACES Training Plan – 2009 DATE TOPIC 1/10/09 NET CONTROL 1/17/09 QUARTERLY DRILL 2/1/09 FIELD OPERATIONS 3/14/09 MAC DRILL 4/4/09 QUARTERLY DRILL 5/09 FORMS 6/2/09 PACKET FOR BEGINNERS 6/8/09 ADVANCED PACKET, HANDS-ON 7/18/08 QUARTERLY DRILL 8/3/09 WINDSHIELD SURVEY 10/3/09 CROSS BAND REPEATING 10/17/09 QUARTERLY DRILL 11/7/09 EVERYTHING ELSE 12/09 NO CLASS

  13. PACKET RADIO COMMUNICATIONS SANTA CLARA COUNTY RACES COMMUNICATIONS TOOL TO PERMIT TRANSFER OF DETAILED DOCUMENTS USING AMATEUR RADIO FOR COMMUNICATIONS BASED ON SEPARATING MESSAGES INTO “PACKETS”, SENDING THESE PACKETS OVER AMATEUR RADIO, AND RECONSTRUCTING THE MESSAGE AT THE RECEIVING RADIO PERMITS COMMUNICATIONS “KEYBOARD-TO-KEYBOARD” OR TRANSMISSION OF COMPLETE MESSAGES PACKET HAS BEEN GREATLY FACILITATED BY THE DEVELOPMENT OF “OUTPOST”, A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT MAKES SENDING PACKET MESSAGES AS EASY AS SENDING EMAIL

  14. SANTA CLARA COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES RACES COMMUNICATIONS TRAILER

  15. SCCO RACES TRAILER – INTERIOR VIEW

  16. MUTUAL AID COMMUNICATOR PROGRAM SANTA CLARA COUNTY OES MACS IDENTIFY HAMS WILLING TO HELP CITIES OTHER THAN THEIR OWN ESTABLISH ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FOR NOMINATED MACS (REFERRAL BY EC AND EM REGARDING EXPERIENCE, MATURITY, AND TRAINING) ESTABLISH COUNTY ACTIVATION PROCEDURE SO THAT CITIES DO NOT NEED TO INDIVIDUALLY ACTIVATE RACES TO RESPOND TO MAJOR EMERGENCIES ESTABLISH TRAINING PROGRAM SO THAT ALL MAC RESPONDERS ARE PREPARED TO WORK TOGETHER USING A COMMON KNOWLEDGE BASE

  17. WOW! THAT’S IMPRESSIVE! BUT HOW DO I GET STARTED?

  18. “To Be, or Not To Be…” A DURING AN EMERGENCY

  19. SUV “SPONTANEOUS UNAFFILIATED VOLUNTEER” A PERSON WHO WANTS TO HELP BUT ONLY OFFERS HIS/HER HELP AFTER AN EVENT HAS OCCURRED A PERSON WHO HAS A SKILL BUT HAS NO EXPERIENCE IN USING THAT SKILL DURING EMERGENCIES A PERSON WHO ATTEMPTS TO ASSIST EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS BUT KNOWS LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT THE PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS IN USE BY THE EMERGENCY RESPONDERS E.G. A PERSON WHO IS A “SPONTANEOUS UNTRAINED VOLUNTEER”!

  20. Levels of activity I what to help in the State I want to help in the Bay Area I want to help in my county I want to help in my city I want to help in my neighborhood I want to help from my home I just got my license, now what do I do I am interested, but do not have my license

  21. Levels of activity ACS RACES I what to help in the State I want to help in the Bay Area I want to help in my county I want to help in my city I want to help in my neighborhood I want to help from my home I just got my license, now what do I do I am interested, but do not have my license ARES SUV

  22. I am interested, but do not have my license STUDY HAM RADIO RULES AND REGULATIONS (ARRL book on Amazon or from Ham Radio Outlet store in Santa Clara) PRACTICE TAKING EXAM USING WEB SITE (Google “Ham Exam Questions”) I recommend www.hamtesting.com “practice tests” link leads to test that tells you immediately when your answer is wrong, AND TELLS YOU THE RIGHT ANSWER! TAKE HAM EXAM Exams are gfven 1st and 3rd Saturdays each month See scc-ares-races.org for details OR – ATTEND A “HAM CRAM” CLASS NEXT CLASS, LOS ALTOS HILLS, 4/20/13

  23. I just got my license, now what do I do DOWNLOAD THE ARES “FIELD RESOURCES MANUAL” FROM THE ARRL WEBSITE WWW.ARRL.ORG ATTEND CLASSES OFFERED BY THE SANTA CLARA ARES/RACES GROUP “INTRODUCTION TO EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS” AND “FUNDAMENTALS OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS” SELECT AND PURCHASE A HAND-HELD AMATEUR BAND RADIO (A 2-METER/70-CM HAND-HELD RADIO CAN BE PURCHASED FROM AMAZON.COM FOR $44.00) BECOME VERY FAMILIAR WITH YOUR RADIO

  24. ARES/RACES Training Courses – • Santa Clara County ARES/RACES • Introductory Courses • Introduction to Emergency Communications • 6/26/13 – 6 pm – Mountain View • 7/17/13 – 6 pm - Milpitas • 10/23/13 - 6 pm –Mountain View • Fundamentals of Emergency Communications • 3/20/13 – 6 pm – Milpitas • 8/21/13 – 6 pm – Milpitas • 11/13/13 – 6 pm – Mountain View

  25. I want to help from my home BE PREPARED TO REPORT EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE THAT OCCURS IN YOUR HOME (YOU DO NOT NEED TO LEAVE YOUR HOME – YOUR REPORT IS OF CRITICAL VALUE DURING THE EARLY STAGES OF EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE) POSSIBLY ACT AS RELAY OF INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY LOCAL CERT TEAM MEMBERS OR OTHER NEIGHBORS WHO NEED EMERGENCY AID RECOGNIZE THAT AS AN UNTRAINED NOVICE YOU WILL NOT BE EFFECTIVE DURING EMERGNECIES LEARN HOW ARES/RACES NETS OPERATE -LISTEN TO THE SPECS NET, MONDAYS, 2000HR, 145.27(R) SVECS NET, TUESDAYS, 2000 HR, 146.115(R) PATTERN YOUR COMMUNICATIONS ON PROCEDURES YOU HEAR

  26. SAMPLE COMMUNICATIONS AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE IN SANTA CLARA COUNTY BEFORE STANDARD REPORTING PROTOCOL WAS ESTABLISHED “DEFINITE EARTHQUAKE” “YEAH, WE REALLY FELT IT HERE” “WE KNEW THAT AN EARTHQUAKE HAD OCCURRED” TYPICAL RESPONSE TO CALL FOR DAMAGES BY NET CONTROL OF THE SCCO RESOURCE NET: after protocol was established: “This is KE6AGJ, Los Altos, Mike-Mike 4 ”

  27. ADAPTATION OF MODIFIED MERCALLI SCALE FOR ARES/RACES EARTHQUAKE REPORTING Prepared by Larry Carr, District Emergency Coordinator, Santa Clara County Updated April 14, 2009 • MODIFIED MERCALLI SCALE USES DETAILED SUBJECTIVE OBSERVATIONS • “SNAP-SHOT” EARTHQUAKE REPORTING REQUIRES MORE ABBREVIATED RESPONSE • SCCO ARES/RACES “MIKE-MIKE” SCALE • Mike-Mike 1 – Not felt at all • Mike-Mike 2 – Barely noticed • Mike-Mike 3 –Know it was an earthquake somewhere • Mike-Mike 4 – Windows, dishes rattle • Mike-Mike 5 – Pictures move, doors swing, small items on floor • Mike-Mike 6 – Glassware broken, books off shelf, floor lamps topple • Mike-Mike 7 – Furniture broken, cannot stand, chimneys fall • Mike-Mike 8 – Buildings collapse • TYPICAL RESPONSE TO CALL FOR DAMAGES BY NET CONTROL OF THE SCCO RESOURCE NET: “This is KE6AGJ, Los Altos, Mike-Mike 4 ”

  28. Training Related Documentation Santa Clara County ARES/RACES Web Site Emergency Responder Manual, Rev. 2.1 - Edited by Jerry Haag      Acrobat file, 266 kb, 36 pages Mutual Aid Communicator (MAC) Program Information Principles of Net Control     by Jerry Haag, KF6GAC, EC Mtn. View Standardized Emergency Management System (SEMS) Drill Scenarios used in Quarterly Drills

  29. I want to help in my neighborhood • ESTABLISH A SAFETY PROTOCOL FOR YOUR FAMILY • ENSURE YOUR FAMILY’S SAFETY • CREATE A “GO-KIT” FOR YOU AND YOUR RADIO • CONTACT LOCAL CERT TEAM OR CONSIDER • CREATING A LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD EMERGENCY • RESPONSE TEAM • ESTABLISH HAM COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN YOUR • NEIGHBORHOOD AND YOUR CITY

  30. I want to help in my city CONTACT YOUR CITY’S RACES TEAM LEADER TO JOIN TEAM BECOME REGISTERED AS A CITY DISASTER SERVICE WORKER ATTEND TRAINING SESSIONS OFFERED BY CITY PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY COMMUNICATIONS NETS BECOME ACTIVE IN DRILLS PUT ON BY CITY

  31. BUT I DO NOT LIVE IN A CITY! OR MY CITY DOES NOT HAVE A RACES PROGRAM! OR I AM ONLY A MEMBER OF MY LOCAL CERT TEAM! ESTABLISH A LOCAL ARES GROUP IDENTIFY HAMS WHO WANT TO HELP IN EMERGENCIES STUDY THE TRAINING MATERIAL CAREFULLY (ARRL AND SANTA CLARA COUNTY) PRACTICE THE COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS FOUND IN THE TRAINING TAKE THE ON-LINE FEMA 100,200, AND 700 CLASSES SELECT A MEMBER TO ACT AS THE LOCAL GROUP EMERGENCY COORDINATOR CONTACT YOUR COUNTY AND/OR SECTION EMERGENCY COORDINATOR FOR GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE

  32. TRAINING MANUAL FOUND ON ARRL WEBSITE

  33. TRAINING MANUAL FOUND ON ARRL WEBSITE

  34. COURSE MATERIAL FOUND ON SANTA CLARA COUNTY ARES/RACES WEBSITE • ARES/RACES Training Courses • Course descriptions and materials (please print materials and bring to class) • Introductory Courses • Introduction to Emergency Communications • Fundamentals of Emergency Communications • Core Courses • Field Operations • Field Operations - Level 1, Part A • Field Operations - Level 1, Part B and Level 2 • Net Control • Net Control in Disaster Communications - Level 1, Part A • Net Control in Disaster Communications - Level 1, Part B • Net Control in Disaster Communications - Level 2 • Packet Operations • Packet Operations - Level 1, Part A • Packet Operations - Level 1, Part B • Packet Operations - Level 2 • Shadow Communicator • Shadowing - Level 1 • Other Core Courses • Message Passing • Cross-band Repeating • Direction Finding Basics • Antenna Fundamentals and Safety • Year End Reviews • 2012 Year End Summary • 2011 Year End Summary • 2010 Year End Summary

  35. SUGGESTIONS FOR PREPARATION AS AN ARES GROUP FOCUS YOUR TRAINING SO THAT WHEN AN EMERGENCY OCCURS, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO PRESENT YOURSELVES AS TRAINED, EXPERIENCED EMERGENCY COMMUNICATORS WHO KNOW HOW TO FIT INTO THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICAITONS SYSTEM USED IN YOUR AREA PERFORM “TABLE-TOP” EXERCISES TO DEVELOP EFFECTIVE NET CONTROL OPERATIONS, INCLUDING ALL YOUR RESPONDERS IN ORDER TO DEVELOP CONSISTENT AND EFFECTIVE INFORMATION EXCHANGE ADAPT OR CREATE APPROPRIATE FORMS FOR TRACKING OF MESSAGES, SITUATION REPORTS, AND OTHER INFORMATION, SO THAT YOU ARE READY TO CAPTURE THIS INFORMATION DURING EMERGENCIES USE YOUR HAM RADIOS DURING ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES (CERT DRILLS, NEIGHBORHOOD PICNICS, PARTIES, ETC) TO PRACTICE INCIDENT COMMAND PROCEDURES – THIS WILL GIVE YOU EXPERIENCE THAT WILL BE OF MAJOR VALUE IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY

  36. ARES/RACES IN OTHER COUNTIES OF SECTION SAN BENITO –TEAM BASED ON SANTA CLARA COUNTY ARES/RACES PLAN SAN MATEO – RACES TEAM INTEGRATED INTO SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT SANTA CRUZ – ARES/RACES/ACS TEAM CONNECTED TO COUNTY OES MONTEREY - SMALL TEAM UNDER COUNTY OES

  37. ARES/RACES ELSEWHERE IN THE BAY AREA SAN FRANCISCO – ARES TEAM ALAMEDA – RACES TEAM INTEGRATED INTO SHERIFF’S OFFICE CONTRA COSTA – ARES/RACES TEAM

  38. ARES vs RACES vs ACS? EACH SERVICE IS PRIMARY IN SOME AREAS OF CALIFORNIA THESE SERVICES ARE IN DIRECT CONFLICT IN SOME AREAS NOT IN OUR SECTION! SANTA CLARA VALLEY SECTION ARES WILL OFFER SUPPORT AT THE GRASS-ROOTS LEVEL TO BRING ADDITIONAL HAMS INTO THE EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK SANTA CLARA VALLEY SECTION ARES WILL ACT AS FACILITATOR FOR INTERFACING OF ARES TEAMS WITH RACES OPERATIONS WHERE RELEVANT

  39. WHAT DOES ARES OFFER? MENTORING OF HAMS WHO WANT TO DEVELOP EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS CAPABILITY ASSISTANCE FOR HAMS IN ESTABLISHING LOCAL TEAMS WHENEVER THERE IS NOT A STRUCTURE PRESENTLY IN PLACE GUIDANCE OF HAMS TO ACCESS RELEVANT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

  40. CONCLUSIONS ARES PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN SUPPORT OF EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SECTION-LEVEL ARES EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON GRASS ROOTS LEVEL ASSIST NEW HAMS IN BECOMING EXPERIENCED EMERGENCY COMMUNICATORS ASSIST HAMS IN ESTABLISHING LOCAL COMMUNICATIONS TEAMS WHERE THERE IS NOT A COMMUNICATIONS STRUCTURE ALREADY IN PLACE FACILITATE INTERACTION BETWEEN ARES AND RACES TEAM OPERATIONS

  41. QUESTIONS?

  42. DUPLICATE SLIDES

  43. SAMPLE LINKS FOUND ON SCCO ARES/RACES WEBSITE

  44. ARES/RACES Training Courses – Santa Clara County ARES/RACES • Introductory Courses • Introduction to Emergency Communications • Fundamentals of Emergency Communications • Core Courses • Field Operations • Field Operations - Level 1, Part A • Field Operations - Level 1, Part B and Level 2 • Net Control • Net Control in Disaster Communications - Level 1, Part A • Net Control in Disaster Communications - Level 1, Part B • Net Control in Disaster Communications - Level 2 • Packet Operations • Packet Operations - Level 1, Part A • Packet Operations - Level 1, Part B • Packet Operations - Level 2 • Shadow Communicator • Shadowing - Level 1 • Other Core Courses • Message Passing • Cross-band Repeating • Direction Finding Basics • Antenna Fundamentals and Safety

  45. ARES/RACES/ACS Amateur Radio Emergency Service Part of the American Radio Relay League Founded in 1914 Provides training and organizational structure for volunteers who provide ham radio communications Focus is on public service communications Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service Provides ham radio communications for local government Responders serve as unpaid government employees Must be activated by local government Must be registered as Disaster Service Workers by agency that sponsors them Responders are supervised and directed by the agency that activates them Over 700 amateur radio operators presently available in SCCo Auxiliary Communications Service Created by State of CA after watching RACES at work Coordinates ALL volunteer communications groups Facilitates utilization of telephone, television, other telecommunications experts during times of emergency

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