RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE - Freeman Crosby

77 Pages·2011·3.78 MB·English

ARES/RACES OPERATIONS MANUAL
2011

Charlotte County Public Safety Building

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

RACES GENERAL DESCRIPTION 3
EMERGENCY OPERATION CENTER (EOC) OFFICE 3
MANAGEMENT STAFF 3
RACES STAFF 4
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATOR DUTIES 5
WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR LOCATION 6
RACES COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING NETS 7
EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION NET 8
WEST COUNTY TACTICAL NET 10
COUNTY TACTICAL NET 11
TACTICAL LOCATIONS 12
NON-TACTICAL REPORTING LOCATIONS 14
REPEATERS 15
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS – FIRST THINGS FIRST 16
EXTENDED DEPLOYMENT EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST 17
EQUIPMENT COMMENTS 18
CHARLOTTE COUNTY RACES/ARES/SKYWARN STATIONS 19
EMERGENCY FREQUENCY ALLOCATIONS 21
SPECIFIC EMERGENCY SITUATIONS: 22
NON-RACES VOLUNTEERS 24
SKYWARN 25
CERT/LOCAL COMMUNITY GROUPS 25
APPENDIX I 26
THE OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET 26
APPENDIX II 27
AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE (ARES) 27
NATIONAL TRAFFIC SYSTEM (NTS) 28
ARRL MESSAGE PRECEDENCES 29
ARRL RADIOGRAM 30
MESSAGE EXAMPLE 31
ARRL EMERGENCY RELIEF NUMBERED RADIOGRAMS 32
MESSAGE FORM 34
ARES/RACES MESSAGE FORM 35
AMATEUR RADIO STATION LOG SHEET 36
APPENDIX III 37
WebEOC 37
APPENDIX IV 42
DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS 42
APPENDIX V 52
ALPHA MEMBER LIST, PHONE and EMAIL 52
RACES CALL DOWN TREE 56
APPENDIX VI 59
PICTURES OF TACTICAL LOCATIONS 59
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RADIO AMATEUR CIVIL EMERGENCY SERVICE
(RACES)
I. General Description
The purpose of this Communications Plan is for serving Charlotte County with backup
communications in the event of an emergency situation. RACES could comprise the command
and administrative communications network serving Charlotte County. RACES networks will
function in accordance with the Federal Communications Rules and Regulations, Part 97.401,
Subpart E – Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES).
II. Emergency Operation Center (EOC) Office
26571 Airport Road, Punta Gorda, FL 33982
Receptionist: 833-4000
RACES Communications Room: 833-4065
III Management Staff
A. Charlotte County Emergency Management Director
Wayne P. Salladé
833-4000 office; 505-3106 pager;
625-0466 home; 628-5536 cell
[email protected]

B. Emergency Coordinator
Gerard Mallet
833-4000 office
[email protected]

C. Mitigation Planner
Dana Harper
833-4000 office
[email protected]

D. Planner
Lynne Stickley
833-4000 office
[email protected]

E. Charlotte County Radio Communications Manager
Doug Blevins
833-5611 office; 941-628-4861 cell
[email protected]

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RACES STAFF

CHARLOTTE COUNTY RACES EMERGENCY COORDINATOR
Roger Weatherly W3IGM - 941-575-7169 - [email protected]

WEST COUNTY DEPUTY RACES OFFICER (EARS)
Matthew Henry KE4VEM - 941-380-5980 - [email protected]

CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTY RACES OFFICER (PRRA)
Gay Woster K7CXW - 941-575-9210 - [email protected]

CHARLOTTE COUNTY DEPUTY RACES OFFICER (CARS)
Lou Nagy N1MAH - 941-743-9619 - [email protected]

COAST GUARD AUXILLARY RACES INTERFACE
Ken Johnson KG4KQW - 941-505-2197 - [email protected]

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
Ken Johnson KG4KQW - 941-505-2197 - [email protected]

RACES TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Wyatt McDaniel W8HTD - 941-575-2197- [email protected]

RACES EDUCATION OFFICER
TBA

COUNTY RACES SKYWARN OFFICER
Virginia Kadansky KG4NKN - 941-575-1602 - [email protected]

RACES LOGISTICS COORDINATOR WEST COUNTY
TBA
RACES DEPUTY COORINATOR OF OPERATIONS
Mark Oliphant N9JZG - 941-255-9747 – [email protected]
RACES ADMINISTRATION OFFICER
TBA
RACES PLANNING OFFICER
TBA

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EMERGENCY COMMUNICATOR DUTIES

The communicator position is the back bone of the Charlotte County ARES/RACES
operation. The assignment is to provide backup emergency communications when and where it
is requested. Although not limited to these locations, this is usually accomplished at a Church,
Shelter, School, or Public Building.
Our job is communications: normally as backup communications to the main
communications infrastructure.

YOUR DUTIES ARE:
 Pass message traffic as requested
 Establish radio contact with the EOC
 Answer all Net Control roll calls and Emergency Location roll calls.
 Maintain complete logs of all traffic handled.
 Provide emergency communications as the need arises.
 Be a good ambassador for ARES/RACES, EOC, etc
 You are not responsible for management decisions
 YOUR JOB IS SOLELY COMMUNICATIONS.

TRY to have a good time and enjoy yourself while providing your fellow
citizens the benefit of your very special talents:

BE AN EXCELLENT COMMUNICATOR
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WHEN YOU GET TO YOUR ASSIGNED LOCATION
(SHELTER/HOSPITAL/CHURCH/ETC)

When you arrive at your assigned location, find the MANAGER or the person in charge of that
facility. Introduce yourself, as the EMERGENCY RADIO OPERATOR assigned to their
location.
1. Provide them your name.
2. Obtain their name, position and phone number.
Let that person know you are there to assist with their communications. You may be the
PRIMARY communications or their BACKUP communications.
Many of the EOC installed radios will not be located near the ―facility manager.‖ Ask if you
can use one of their local radios to keep in touch with them. Remember, you may assist the
location as requested.

THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO MAINTAIN COMMUNICATIONS
BETWEEN ARES/RACES NET AND THE EOC.

Depending on the EMERGENCY, you may have to set up and use the equipment you brought
to that location. Remember you may be on the air an extended period of time. Use the location‘s
power source (if available) before you use your own. When you depart that location make sure
your personal equipment goes with you.
Maintain a log of all messages and activities so the relieving OPERATOR will have a good
idea of what the needs are and the open items to be completed at that location. The logs should
remain at the location until the end of the emergency. At times it will be necessary to make
duplicate copies of messages to maintain a complete log. If you are the last OPERATOR, at the
end of the emergency, collect the logs and all data pertaining to the RACES communications for
final collection at the EOC RACES Radio Room.
When your relief operator arrives, introduce them to the contacts you have established before
you depart.

SECONDARY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATIONS
WITH THE NTS & OTHER NETS TO HANDLE HEALTH AND WELFARE
TRAFFIC.

You can and should provide ARES communications for shelter victims. The National Traffic
System, MARS, and other NETS are there to help you pass Health and Welfare traffic. You may
be the only source of communications for the shelter victim to let their family know where they
are located and that they are safe. Maintain complete logs separate from RACES of your traffic
and leave a copy as a station log for the next operator. These ARES messages should be included
with the RACES message traffic log for the duration of the emergency event.

Note: Government messages take precedent over health and welfare traffic.

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RACES COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING NETS

Introduction

1. There are two scheduled formal training nets. Both nets are held the last week of the month
(where Wednesday and Thursday fall in the same month).. The Wednesday night Emergency
Communications Information Net is conducted for the purposes of equipment checks and for
information. The Thursday morning Tactical Net is for the purpose of equipment checks at
tactical locations and other assigned sites.

2. Emergency Communications Information Net is held Wednesday at 8 pm on
146.745MHz(-)/444.975MHz(+) Linked System.

3. The Tactical Net will be activated by the RACES control operators. The Englewood EOC
will conduct their drill at 9:30 am on 146.865MHz(-). The backup frequency is 146.700MHz(-).
The Charlotte County EOC will conduct their drill at 10:00 am on
146.745MHz(-)/444.975MHz(+). The backup frequency is 147.585MHz simplex.

4. Net participants are required to follow FCC rules for identifying their station at least every 10
minutes during a two-way communication. At a tactical site, the requirement is still in effect.
Net participants are required to ask permission of net control if they need to leave the
station unmanned temporarily; to shut down the station; or to leave the net before it is
formally closed.

5. RACES members are expected to be aware of up-coming RACES net activities. Members
will be contacted before each net activity.

6. RACES members are encouraged to visit the EOC and various tactical locations during the
monthly Thursday morning drills. This provides the opportunity to know the location of the
tactical sites, location of radios and related equipment, and to meet the assigned tactical
operators. This will provide the RACES members with the opportunity to be familiar with the
tactical locations.
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EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INFORMATION NET

(Wednesday Night 8 pm)
Information Net on 146.745MHz(-)/444.975MHz(+) Linked Repeater System
The control operator will use the following script:

CQ, CQ, CQ and welcome to this month‘s Charlotte County Emergency Communications
Information Net. This is a joint RACES/ARES net.
Good evening this is __________(call sign) my name is ___________. I will be serving as
primary net control.
Directed net procedures will be used. All amateurs are welcome and encouraged to check in.
Charlotte County Emergency Communications nets convene the last consecutive Wednesday &
Thursday of each month for the purpose of developing professional skills and teamwork
necessary in the event of an emergency.
(Optional) At this time, net control requests a station to act as back-up to net control to operate
this net if at any point ―primary‖ net control cannot continue. Any station who can operate as
back-up net control please call now.

When you check into the net please use the following procedure:
Say ―THIS IS‖…..pause…...release the mic button………..listen.
Then slowly give your call phonetically, then your first name and release the mic button.
Again, please remember this is a DIRECTED NET, and respond ONLY to net control. Please
advise net control if you wish to leave the net. At this time, net control will pause for emergency
traffic, call sign and first name please. Net control will take check-ins from West County, west
of the Myakka River, then north of the Peace River and then south of the Peace River and late
check-in‘s at the end of the net. Visitors are welcome and will be called separately.

This is net control station _____________.
West County only, please call now.
(Control operator copies all calls and names)
Net control recognizes: ________________________
Any additional Check-in‘s West County?
Net control recognizes: ________________________
North of Peace River, please call now.
(Control operator copies all calls and names)
Net control recognizes: ________________________
Any additional Check-in‘s North of Peace River?
Net control recognizes: ________________________
South of Peace River, please call now.
(Control operator copies all calls and names)
Net control recognizes: ________________________
Any additional Check-in‘s South of Peace River?
Net control recognizes: ________________________
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Visitors, please call now.
(Control operator copies all calls and names)
Net control recognizes: ________________________
Any additional Check-in‘s?
Net control recognizes: ________________________
Do we have any bulletins or announcements for the net?
(Call RACES cadre to see if they have any bulletins for the net.)
(Optional) The net training/discussion will be ―(Tonight‘s Program)‖.
Presenting tonight‘s program is _________________
........PROGRAM HERE........
This concludes the formal portion of the RACES net.
Are there any additional stations waiting to check-in?

The net is now declared informal and open for discussion.
DISCUSSION/COMMENTS

The Charlotte County Emergency Communications net is now closed. This net meets monthly.
Our next meeting is scheduled for (meeting date) at 8 pm local time, Wednesday evening. Ask
your friends to join us.
I would like to thank all stations for checking in this evening.
This is (your call) _______clear and returning this frequency back to normal amateur use.
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WEST COUNTY TACTICAL NET
(Thursday Morning 9:30 am)
West County Tactical Net on 146.865 MHz Repeater
The control operator may use the following format:
CQ, CQ, CQ,
This is the Englewood Community Hospital, Charlotte County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service Tactical Net. Net Control is (call sign) _____________. This is a directed net activated
for the purpose of a training drill. All communications shall be directed to the Net Control
Station. The tactical call sign of the net control is Englewood Community Hospital. The tactical
call sign shall be used when contacting the net control station. Amateur radio stations not
directly concerned with this RACES exercise are requested to standby.
This is Englewood Community Hospital net control (call sign)_____________.
(Optional) At this time net control requests a station to act as back-up net control to operate this
net if at any point ―primary‖ net control cannot continue. Any station who could operate as
back-up net control, please call now.
Net control will now standby for stations with emergency or priority traffic.........(Pause).
Net control will now proceed with a check-in of Tactical Locations. Each location shall
acknowledge with a signal report. (Net Control shall respond to the called station with a signal
report.)
TACTICAL LOCATIONS ENGLEWOOD
Englewood Fire/EMS Station #4
Englewood Community Hospital

Englewood Community Hospital will standby for pool operators and other stations wishing to
check-in. (Make two calls with a long pause after each call.)Are there any other check-ins?
This completes this RACES exercise. Englewood Community Hospital Net Control __________
closes this RACES training net at ___________local time, is clear and returning this frequency
back to normal amateur use.
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