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Subj: ARES E-Letter November 16, 2016
Path: IW8PGT<F1OYP<F4DUR<CX2SA
Sent: 161121/1244Z @:CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM #:58511 [Salto] FBB7.00e $:58511-CX2SA
From: CX2SA@CX2SA.SAL.URY.SOAM
To : ARES@WW
The ARES E-Letter November 16, 2016
Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE
In This Issue:
-Learn to Use Your Repeater's Autopatch
-Notes from California Wildfire Responses; Lessons Learned
-Popular TV Show HamRadioNow Adds "EmComm Extra"
-Profiles in ARES : Meet Bob Turner, W6RHK, ARRL Orange Section Emergency
Coordinator
-ARES Members: Become a PIO
ARES Briefs, Links
Hurricane Watch Net Honors Bermuda Radio Amateur (11/4/16); National
Geographic Channel Ham Radio Guide Supports Before MARS Prequel (11/2/16);
ARES/RACES Supports Office of Emergency Management during Presidential
Debate (10/27/16); Philippine Hams Team Up to Confront Back-to-Back Typhoons
(10/24/16)
Ecuador Radio Club Recognizes ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager, Ham Aid
-- ARRL Emergency Preparedness Manager Mike Corey, KI1U, was recognized by
the Guayaquil Radio Club (GRC) of Ecuador for coordinating the work of the
ARRL and of several other radio amateurs to provide Ham Aid equipment to
Ecuador this past spring, following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in April.
Read the full report here.
Learn to Use Your Repeater's Autopatch
--------------------------------------
On Monday, May 23, 2016 Amador (California) Amateur Radio Club President
Paul Keeton, KI6LZC, was on deployment with the Red Cross in Calaveras
county for the Butte Fire Recovery when he came across a woman lying on the
roadway. There was no cell signal there, so he used the autopatch available
on the Amador repeater to call 911. This was an excellent example of
autopatch use. Keeton would have had to drive to the nearest town (West
Point) to use a phone there. As he noted, "Autopatch is very handy up here
in the mountains." The woman recovered. - ARRL Sacramento Valley Section
ARES News
Radio amateurs in the US enjoy a great privilege -- the ability to
interconnect their stations and repeaters with the public telephone system.
The wisdom of the federal government in permitting, and even in defending,
this freedom has been demonstrated time and again. There is no way to
calculate the value of the lives and property that have been saved by the
intelligent use of phone patch and autopatch facilities in emergency
situations. As with any privilege, this one can be abused, and the penalty
for abuse could be the loss of the privilege for all amateurs. Study the
ARRL Autopatch Guidelines here. -- ARRL
Ten Steps to Access Your Repeater's Autopatch
1. Ensure that the repeater is not in use. If it is, but the reason for the
autopatch is to report an emergency, transmit the word "break" to break into
the QSO. An emergency involves the immediate safety of life or protection of
property.
2. State that you are going to use the autopatch - "This is K1FUG, bringing
up the autopatch."
3. Wait a few seconds for any other station to break in with a possible
emergency.
4. Use your mic's DTMF keypad to transmit the repeater's autopatch access
code.
5. When you hear the dial tone, push the mic's PTT button, and key in the
phone number of the party you are calling.
6. Take your finger off the PTT button to receive, and you should hear the
repeater controller confirm by voice that you're making an autopatch,
followed by the called party's phone ringing.
7. When the called party answers, transmit and speak normally. Immediately
tell the party that you're calling via a ham radio and that they are "on the
air" to head off any inappropriate statements.
8. Explain that the phone call is not duplex; that is, only one party can
speak at a time. In the event the other party states inappropriate words or
sentences, you can block the party's speech by simply keying your
transmitter, and then terminating the 'patch.
9. Keep transmissions short and the complete call as brief as possible.
10. Finish the call by saying good-bye and enter the autopatch termination
code provided by your repeater club. (Note: Autopatch access codes are
typically furnished only to repeater club members who support the repeater.
Hint: Join and support your local repeater clubs!). The repeater controller
will confirm autopatch termination. It's common courtesy to then thank the
repeater sponsor for the use of the autopatch.
Remember!
When you use the autopatch, everything you and the called party say is
transmitted over the air for anybody with a scanner or live stream Internet
connection to hear. User discretion is advised! Also, the autopatch is for
short communications, not lengthy, breezy chats - three minutes max! Some
controllers will remind you when you have thirty seconds left. The autopatch
is usually restricted to local calls only.
Notes from California Wildfire Responses; Lessons Learned
---------------------------------------------------------
California, and the west in general, has suffered wildfires of epic
proportions. Recently, a few ARES and other amateur responders wrote about
their experiences and lessons learned.
Lou Arbanas, NJ6H, District EC for Monterey County, California, reported
that this past summer's Chimney and Sobranes fires posed challenges for the
amateur community. For many operators and CERT teams who had not drilled
previously with Monterey County ARES prior to the fires, county ARES
protocols and processes in the first weeks of the fires were confusing. The
fires affected only sparsely populated areas, and existing, normal
communications infrastructure remained intact, thus significant ARES
assistance was not indicated. Amateurs did not self-activate or self-deploy,
which was a positive, and critically important for any incident, but more
training during controlled exercises and communications operations for
public events is clearly indicated for the future.
In Monterey county, its sheer size challenges the communications structure
within the ARES organization. ECs were able to text (short message service
-- SMS) each other where VHF/UHF links were not possible. In the first hours
of the fires, ECs texted photos and messages to the EOC, which proved
valuable there as reports from "eyes on the ground." ECs maintained
communication with their operational areas (OA) and provided their ARES
volunteers with information as needed. Lesson learned: The use of the most
efficient and effective mode/service of communications is always indicated,
regardless of whether it is the amateur service or not, including social
media! Other efficient systems can and should be employed whenever possible;
for example, Web EOC was fully active and functioned well on keeping radio
traffic down. As the hours turned into days, days to weeks, and weeks to
months, Web EOC allowed operators to stay connected, contributing from their
offices and homes without having to spend hours physically at the EOC.
Liaison was quickly forged with San Luis Obispo County and Salinas Valley
repeater owners in the first days of the Sobranes Fire. Mutual aid
arrangements were made with the Santa Clara OA through Brandon Bianchi,
NI6C, Section Manager, and Section Emergency Coordinator Larry Carr, KE6AGJ;
thus, Monterey County ARES was in an elevated state of readiness and
prepared to function, with support available.
Butte Wildfire 2015
The Butte Fire raged southeast of Sacramento, California, in the Stanislaus
National Forest region last year. Amador County ARES supported the Red Cross
shelter with radio communications for 102 hours in September, 2015. Daniel
L. Edwards, KJ6WYW, Amador County EC, reported that three operators deployed
to the shelter on short notice, and set up a station from a go-box and a
2-meter band antenna. Shelter staffers provided chairs, table and extension
cords for the operation. ARES ops erected a pop-up tent over the table. A
net was announced, and ARES members checked in. An NCS rotation and roster
was announced, with shifts limited so that operators would not become
fatigued. Each shift consisted of two operators: One manned net control and
the other provided liaison with the shelter personnel. Handi-talkies were
used for communication between these individuals. Operators also monitored a
Cal Fire channel. ARES set up a communications trailer with a third mobile
unit/station and alternative power sources. Yolo County ARES volunteered
support as did Sacramento ARES, for well-received mutual aid.
No official messages were sent or received but ARES net operators did
disseminate situation reports and observations on the location and movement
of the fire, the closure of roads and the areas being evacuated, which
proved valuable to agencies struggling with coordination. With the ARES
station's prominence in the shelter's parking lot, ARES operators found
themselves becoming the first point of contact for evacuees coming to the
shelter. To insure that the repeater was kept clear for network traffic, it
was announced each hour that the repeater was under net control for traffic
limited to fire-related messages and reports. Cooperation of regular
repeater users was outstanding. A positive outcome was that the repeater
manager will program the repeater to include automated statements for use in
future incidents.
Los Angeles
ARRL Los Angeles (LAX) Section Manager Diana Feinberg, AI6DF, reported that
Los Angeles County (which with 10.2 million residents comprises the entire
ARRL LAX Section) Amateur Radio operators were not activated during any
large-scale fires or disasters to-date in 2016. There was, however, a
CERT-like Amateur Radio group in a mountain community that did an
outstanding job of undertaking their own radio operations for two days
during a 400-acre brush fire in June caused by a car accident, with the
disaster Amateur Radio group at a nearby Sheriff's Station also activated
for about a day.
ARES in Los Angeles County is largely committed to providing back-up
communication for hospitals during major disasters (the amateur service is
seventh of the eight protocols for disaster response communication with the
County health services department.) Many LAX ARES members participate in the
annual Statewide Healthcare Exercise testing hospital operations and
communications in disaster situations. [This year's exercise will be held
tomorrow, November 17].
On the RACES front, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has a large
group of disaster communications-prepared Amateur Radio operators as
Sheriff's Volunteers across 23 Sheriff's Stations that have fully-equipped
Amateur Radio rooms, radios and antennas on the Station towers (Feinberg
serves as the countywide training chief for this organization). Five of
these stations also have specialized volunteer mountain search and rescue
teams to find lost or injured hikers and motorists -- and Amateur Radio
operators at those Sheriff's Stations have often been called up to provide
auxiliary communication in back country areas. Additionally, almost half the
County's 88 incorporated cities including the City of Los Angeles have their
own disaster Amateur Radio group. ARRL Southwestern Division Vice Director
Marty Woll, N6VI, also serves as Training Officer for the City of Los
Angeles' Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) radio organization.
Volunteer radio groups were not activated for the 41,400-acre Sand Fire that
raged in north L.A. County for over a week during July 22-31, 2016. A stated
reason for not using any volunteers then was safety concerns following
shootings of police officers in Dallas, Texas, and elsewhere during the
previous weeks. Additionally there were no significant disruptions to normal
communication systems. Unlike some other areas in the United States, all
fire departments in Los Angeles County are completely staffed with 24/7
full-time professionals (plus some low-risk inmate wildfire teams). Only two
small communities rely on volunteer firefighters for fire-suppression
assistance while leaving paramedic services to full-time professionals.
For the most part, the volunteer disaster Amateur Radio organizations in Los
Angeles County train regularly, heavily focused on a major earthquake
scenario. I expect all these disaster Amateur Radio groups will be fully
involved then. - Diana Feinberg, AI6DF, ARRL Los Angeles Section Manager
SKYWARN Recognition Day Webinar
The 18th SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) will be held December 3, 2016 from
0000UTC to 2400UTC. SKYWARNTM Recognition Day was developed in 1999 by the
National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League. It celebrates
the contributions that SKYWARN volunteers make to the NWS mission, the
protection of life and property. Amateur radio operators comprise a large
percentage of the SKYWARN volunteers across the country. The Amateur radio
operators also provide vital communication between the NWS and emergency
management if normal communications become inoperative. During the SKYWARN
Special Event operators will visit NWS offices and contact other radio
operators across the world.
This year, in the week before SRD 2016, there will be a webinar that covers
the basics of the event, how to participate, and a few changes that are in
store for 2016. The webinar will be November 29 at 8pm ET. Registration for
the webinar can be found here. As with all ARRL webinars it will be recorded
and posted to the ARRL YouTube channel afterward.
Popular TV Show HamRadioNow Adds "EmComm Extra"
-----------------------------------------------
The popular TV show/YouTube show/Podcast HamRadioNow is adding presentations
on emergency and disaster response communications subjects. HamRadioNow is
an online television show, webcast, podcast, and a YouTube show for and
about Amateur Radio. The host is Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, a radio amateur and
broadcaster for 50 years. The show is recorded, not live, and there's no set
schedule. Viewers can watch the show at any time on the Episode Pages on its
website, or on its YouTube Channel. Or listeners can download just the audio
and listen on their phones with the RSS feed. The format is primarily a talk
show with a pair of hosts and a series of guests. Co-host is David
Goldenberg, W0DHG, an Emergency Coordinator. (Pearce has an ARES/PIO
background).
Goldenberg and Pearce have announced that they are planning to produce a
show whenever an incident occurs that warrants discussion of lessons
learned. "The goal is to provide an interesting, entertaining and useful
look at emergency/disaster response activity in the context of Amateur
Radio," said Pearce. "We do in-depth shows (usually an hour or more), and
can go way beyond a cursory summary of an event or drill," he said. Spurring
this new aspect of the show was Hurricane Matthew. "We did an off-the-cuff
show as HamRadioNow Episode 270, then a more formal show (Episode 274)
featuring Emergency Coordinators from Florida and South Carolina in the
storm's aftermath," Pearce said. There have been emergency/disaster response
themed shows before, collected and published on an "EmComm Playlist" on the
YouTube Channel. -- Gary Pearce, KN4AQ, Cary, North Carolina, HamRadioNow
Profiles in ARES: Meet Bob Turner, W6RHK, ARRL Orange Section Emergency
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Coordinator
-----------
Bob Turner, W6RHK, is the Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) for the ARRL
Orange Section [The Orange Section is part of the ARRL Southwestern
Division, and is made up of four counties: Inyo County, Orange County,
Riverside County, and San Bernardino County, in California. Carl Gardenias,
WU6D, has served as Section Manager since 2003, with the section continuing
to grow with 40 clubs now active.] Turner first served as a local Emergency
Coordinator, then as District Emergency Coordinator overseeing activities in
Riverside County. As part-time faculty with Moreno Valley College in the
Public Safety Education and Training department he has taught courses in
Introduction to Homeland Security; Preparedness for Emergencies, Disasters
and Homeland Security Incidents; and Recovery in Emergencies, Disasters and
Homeland Security Incidents. As one of the Subject Matter Experts, Turner
helped write the curriculum for all six Homeland Security courses that
Moreno Valley College offered.
Turner earned a B.S. degree from Rochester Institute of Technology with
concentrations in Disaster and Emergency Management, and Technical
Communications. He is a certified Emergency Management Specialist through
the National Association of Safety Professionals. Through the American Board
for Certification in Homeland Security, Turner is a Certified National
Threat Analyst, a Certified Intelligence Analyst, and holds a Level IV
certification in Homeland Security. He serves as a Terrorism Liaison Officer
for the Joint Regional Intelligence Center and is a member of the Los
Angeles section of Infragard, which is a partnership with the public and
private sectors and the FBI for critical infrastructure protection. With
Infragard, he is involved in the Electromagnetic Pulse and Government
Facilities Special Interest Groups. Turner is a member of the International
Association of Emergency Managers, the Association of Public Safety
Communications Officials (an ARRL partner organization), and the Southern
California Earthquake Alliance. His regular job is as the Director of Risk
Management for the Alvord Unified School District. - ARRL Sacramento Valley
Section News
ARES Members: Become a PIO
--------------------------
Assume a dual role in emergency/disaster response theaters of operation -
become an ARRL Public Information Officer (PIO) for your ARES group. It's a
natural fit. ARRL Public Information Officers (PIOs) are appointed by their
Section Manager and report to their ARRL section Public Information
Coordinator (PIC). Training for PIOs is typically provided regularly on a
sectional or regional basis by the PIC and/or other qualified people.
One of the most important responsibilities of the PIO is to serve as a
liaison between the media and the ARES Emergency Coordinators involved in an
emergency/disaster response where Amateur Radio is playing an active,
critical role. Other responsibilities include:
ú Establishes and maintains a list of media contacts in the local area;
strives to establish and maintain personal contacts with appropriate
representatives of those media (e.g., editors, news directors, science
reporters, etc.).
ú Becomes a contact for the local media and assures that editors/reporters
who need information about Amateur Radio know where to find it.
ú Works with Local Government Liaisons to establish personal contacts with
local government officials where possible and explain to them, briefly and
non-technically, about Amateur Radio and how it can help their communities.
ú Maintains contact with the Emergency Coordinator and/or District Emergency
Coordinator. Helps prepare an emergency response PR kit.
ú Keeps the section PIC fully informed on activities and places PIC on news
release mailing list.
Public Information Officer Training Course PR-101
The PIO course provides an overview of public relations. Experts in various
aspects of public relations provide Public Information Officers with basic
skills. PR-101 covers drafting a basic news release to website and video
development/production. The materials can also be used as a handbook.
Special sections cover emergency communications and the media - what Amateur
Radio wants the world to know and how to position it for best results. ARES
members can download a copy of the course here. Upon completion, contact the
Continuing Education Program at cep@arrl.org to request the URL and password
you'll need to take the online final exam.
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