"The Red Cross is for us a light in the darkness. We owe a debt of gratitude to those who, in 1863, lit this
beacon. It is up to us to make sure that it does not go out."
-- Dr. Albert Schweitzer
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The 5-1-2 BULLETIN - 25 September 01 - No. 73
TO: OR-NorCAL-NV ARES and other EMCOMM Stations,ARRL Officials, other EMCOMM and Public Safety Officials;in Oregon District 5, California SV Section Districts 1, 2...and BEYOND.
FROM: D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, ARES SEC, SV Section (North), editor.
Assistant ACS Officer MAR III California OES
INTERNET: www.qsl.net/k6soj E-MAIL:
k6soj@arrl.net
CA OES ACS INLAND REGION WEBSITE: www.acs.oes.ca.gov/Inland
+++ SHORT CIRCUITS - Brief (important) announcements:
+ SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST - OCTOBER 6-7, 2001
(Please see SET planning information in the TRAINING section
below.)
+ DON’T GET AROUND MUCH ANYMORE?" (also see footnote*) -
Are you tied down by your job, family, or health?
Do not
despair! You are needed and you can play an important EMCOMM role by
becoming an "Official Emergency Station" or "Official
Relay Station". Details:
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/oes.html
http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/org/ors.html
+ NEW NET FREQUENCIES AND SCHEDULES FOR SISKIYOU COUNTY ARES
From Nannette Thorne, KE6MZT, Siskiyou County EC:
"Effective 1 October 2001, Siskiyou County ARES nets will be EVERY Thursday evening at 1930L on 3987 kHz and 146.55 simplex (Direct to the NCS or by relays via HF stations.) These frequencies are now the PRIMARY NET frequencies for emergency and disaster conditions in Siskiyou County. A PACKET component is also being developed.
The PACKET check in ‘window’ will be for one full hour EVERY Thursday from 1900 to 2000L." Frank Norman, KE6MZN, Klamathon, CA, will be available via the SCARA node on 145.01. (Alternate is YREKA on 145.05) Stations wishing to check in, should connect with him on 145.01 to KE6MZN-1. Leave a message with time, location, and that you are checking in to the Siskiyou County ARES. Then disconnect so the next person can connect.
ARES stations in other counties are invited to check in using whatever frequency or mode they wish.
+ FEEDBACK - From the "Show Me" state:
"Thanks for your newsletter as I need to try to find more info to help guide my NEW and I mean very NEW ARES team here in Missouri. I have been the EC for Pulaski Co. ARES since NOV 2000 and it has been an uphill battle to get volunteers. Thanks again! "
73 Gene Bess, KC0IUO, Pulaski County EC
COMMENT: You're Welcome Gene. I hope that the information in the 5-1-2 Bulletin and at: www.qsl.net/k6soj will be of some value. The ARRL website(s) and publications are also a tremendous resource. Also,
let us hear from you every now and again as to how your ARES Team is doing. 73 de K6SOJ
+ NET REMINDER - 5-1-2 REGIONAL ARES AND NWS NETS
DAILY:
1200 to 1230L: Jefferson Noon Net on 7232 LSB (3987 LSB alternate)
NOTE: ALL STATIONS ARE ENCOURAGED TO MONITOR AND/OR CALL ON 146.52 MHZ DURING
THE NOON NET TO RELAY CHECK-INS OR TRAFFIC.
WEDNESDAYS:
1915 to 1930L: NWS WX SPOTTER NETS (see NWS-SKYWARN section below)
1930 to 2000L: A.R.E.S. LEADERSHIP NET on 3987 LSB (1982 LSB alternate) ALL ARES and other EMCOMM leaders are welcome. A net roster is available at:
www.qsl.net/k6soj/nets/net.htm
+ ARES and other EMCOMM NETS - list at: www.qsl.net/k6soj/nets/index.htm
------------------------------------
+ TRAINING SECTION:
TO: Emergency Coordinators in SV Section Districts One and Two (And...ECs in other districts or sections who may be interested).
FROM: D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, SV (north) SEC
SUBJECT: SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST - OCTOBER 6-7, 2001
With all that has happened during the past few months, planning for the annual SET has (for some of us) taken a "back seat". However, I hope that all ARES teams will proceed and develop a local scenario. As far as the SV Section, Districts One and Two are concerned, (and adjacent jurisdictions if they wish), I am asking each of you to generate a few pieces of formal traffic addressed to an agency or station within our service area...no matter what local scenario you may develop.
It can be a simple message to another EC, an agency representative, or a short greeting to an individual. (E.g. - Family member or friend.)
In the Training section of last week’s 5-1-2 Bulletin, I outlined a plan to handle "H and W" traffic on behalf of stranded travelers. You may want to consider this as a component of your local SET, and take the opportunity to contact local airport officials.
For those counties without an airport, and with winter rapidly approaching, this is also applicable during a winter storm event when travelers may be stranded at a roadside rest area, a bus station, or a train station.
Your thoughts, comments, suggestions on this are welcome.
+ CONTINUING EDUCATION CONTINUES:
The article: "DISASTER / MAJOR EMERGENCY -- WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? by Lt. Dan Blackston, Chula Vista Police Department" appeared in its entirety in BULLETIN # 36 (January 9) and is archived at: http://www.qsl.net/k6soj .Below are excerpts from that article with comments.
64. Even though there will not be enough people to initially
deal with
emergencies, many available personnel will never be identified and never
used. After the initial shock, there will be too many volunteers.
COMMENT: This phenomena, known as "convergence", is universally reported in emergency and disaster situations. I direct your attention to the portion of the SV Section Mutual Aid Plan (copied below) that addresses this problem. (The entire MA Plan may be viewed at: http://www.qsl.net/k6soj/mutual_aid.htm
Excerpted from the Sacramento Valley Section Mutual Aid Plan:
COORDINATING YOUR RESOURCES
As an EC, DEC, or SEC, your primary job is to "coordinate" the amateur radio resource for your area. During an actual event, be sure to THINK...AND PLAN AHEAD. Talk to local officials and attempt to determine what will be needed for emergency or auxiliary communications in 12, 24, 48, 72, or more hours down the road. Develop a plan, and put it into motion.
The FIRST RESOURCE is the locally registered, trained, and equipped ARES team members.
The SECOND RESOURCE are the registered and trained ARES members or a team from an nearby jurisdiction.
The THIRD RESOURCE are the amateur operators who just "show up". This phenomena, known as "convergence" is common in emergency and disaster situations. These helpers are usually undisciplined and unfamiliar with ARES procedures and the emergency plan; and they often cause more problems than they solve. However, there are exceptions, so it is important that each individual be evaluated and judged on his or her own merits. This can be time consuming, so it is suggested that you delegate that task to an AEC (or possibly a visiting EC.) Those that are selected to work should be given an orientation to the ARES plan and procedures, and be briefed on the incident. Then, they must be registered with ARES and the served agency.
REMEMBER:
1. Only skilled, disciplined, equipped and registered ARES personnel should respond in mutual aid situations; and all personnel should be directed to a command post or staging area to "sign in". If not already registered, every volunteer must be registered with the "served agency", before they are assigned to the field. Be sure to have the registration forms or logs readily available.
2. Responding teams should be given clear directions to the command center or staging area. Inform them of a "talk-in frequency" (it could be shared with operations, but ideally it will be a frequency dedicated to logistics.)
3. As a general rule, an ARESMAT (ARES Mutual Assistance Team) should come with its own leader(s). (The ICS recommends a 1 to 5 ratio). A team may be given a specific task and utilized as a team. Or, individuals may be assigned to work with your team members, or (once oriented to the operation) they may be given independent assignments.
4. Circumstances usually change rapidly. But, if at all possible, use the outside help you have summoned; and utilize their skills as much as possible. Some may be leaders, others may posses technical skills, computer skills, traffic handling, clerical or other valuable skills.
--- end excerpt ---
TRAINING BULLETINS that appear in this bulletin are archived
at:
www.qsl.net/k6soj
+ NWS-SKYWARN SECTION
Jim Reynolds, KD7MLO, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Medford NWS
Gary Peterson, N7GK, Asst. Medford SKYWARN Coordinator
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ, Asst. Medford SKYWARN Coordinator
!FREE! - ARES / SKYWARN software is available at: http://www.qsl.net/k6soj/projects/index.htm
MEDFORD NWS SKYWARN PAGE HAS CHANGED TO: www.qsl.net/mfrskywarn
SKYWARN is the National Weather Service program of trained
volunteer
spotters reporting severe weather.
The ARRL/ARES has a national "memorandum of understanding" (MOU)
with the NOAA/NWS.
MEDFORD NWS WX SPOTTER / SKYWARN NETS:
The Medford NWS WX SPOTTER NET every Wednesday at 1915L on: 147.26+ / CTCSS: 123.0, (Mt. Ashland); 146.55 SIMPLEX (eastern Siskiyou and Klamath Counties) 146.97- (Likely); 3987LSB (1982 LSB alternate). SKYWARN nets will also be activated on these frequencies during severe weather events.
ALSO, the NWS PACKET NODE ON MT. ASHLAND is on 145.030 MHz, ID is: skywrn. NWS is asking for SKYWARN and ARES packet stations to connect and let them know your location, the type of antenna and power you use to access the Mt. Ashland node. The "connect" to NWS packet bbs (direct) is 145.090 and the ID is NWSMFR. Then connect to NWSBBS, e.g., c nwsmfr. Then, c nwsbbs. The NWSMFR at nws mfr is a node.
Questions? contact Gary, N7GK e-mail: gpederson@orednet.org
Check in to the JEFFERSON NOON NET daily at 1200L on 7232 // 3987 LSB for
announcements regarding anticipated severe WX.
+ ARRL/ARES SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST (SET) October 6-7, 2001
See above item and also September QST (p.53)... Or: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/setguide.html
+ IF YOU HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT OR SOMETHING OF INTEREST TO
REPORT about your
ARES team or other EMCOMM unit...and would like it posted in the 5-1-2
BULLETIN...send it to: k6soj@arrl.net
+ COMING ATTRACTIONS ...
WHAT does "Amateur Radio"...mean to YOU?
MORE... "SATIRICAL SYMPHONIES"
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT? THE SERIES CONTINUES
HOW PREPARED ARE YOU? - A FUN QUIZ
+ EMCOMM 2002
April 20-21 2002 - Bishop Quinn High School,
Palo Cedro, CA. www.emcomm2002.net
+ PREVIOUS EDITIONS OF THE 5-1-2 BULLETIN ARE ARCHIVED AT:
www.qsl.net/k6soj
+ The "5-1-2 BULLETIN" - Copyright (c) 2001 -
D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ
Permission is hereby granted to reproduce and re-circulate items from this
bulletin providing appropriate credit is given to the "5-1-2 REGIONAL
ARES
BULLETIN" and/or the author or originator of the material. Send
corrections, updates, etc. to: k6soj@arrl.net
+ PLEASE REMEMBER TO CONSERVE ENERGY!
------------------------------------
* "Don't Get Around Much Anymore"
Lyrics by Bob Russell - Music by Duke Ellington. 1942
Missed the Saturday dance
Heard they crowded the floor
Couldn't bear it without you
Don't get around much anymore
Thought I'd visit the club
Got as far as the door
They'd have asked me about you
Don't get around much anymore
Darling, I guess my mind's more at ease
But nevertheless, why stir up memories
Been invited on dates
Might have gone but what for?
Awfully different without you
Don't get around much anymore