to

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WELCOME

• to
• ARECC Level I

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If one waits until a disaster occurs and then
volunteers to be trained for the job, one becomes
a liability, not an asset. Training and
preparedness must occur before it is needed."
from Dan Miller, K3UFG ARRL Certification and
Continuing Education Program Coordinator
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Three Levels of Training

• Level I course -- basic overview of emergency
  communications via ham radio
• Level II course -- intermediate training, more
  in-depth study to enhance skills in handling
  emergency communications via ham radio
• Level III course -- advanced training designed to
  bridge the gap between basic participation and
  leadership

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Number of graduates as of March 2003

• Level I graduates 3,168
• Level II graduates 912
• Level III graduates 469
• Approximately 90 of all students take this
  training on-line, interacting with
  mentor/instructors and other students.
• New classes for each course open every month.
• Hundreds are still in on-going classes.

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Preparedness Quiz

• Here are 12 questions to determine if you are
  fully prepared for the next emergency.
• Score each question with 1 point for a YES
  answer and 0 points for a NO answer.

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Question 1

• Do you know who your local emergency
  communications coordinator is?

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Question 2

• Do you know which frequency is designated as
  the primary meeting point when commercial power
  is unavailable in your community?

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Question 3

• Do you know where to find potable water in
  your community if the normal water supply has
  been contaminated?

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Question 4

• Do you have a jump kit prepared and ready for
  immediate use?

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Question 5

• Have you made plans for your family that
  include any and all pets?

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Question 6

• When called upon to support your nearby town,
  have you designated someone to take care of your
  family in your absence?

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Question 7

• Is your primary vehicles gas tank always at
  least half full of fuel?

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Question 8

• If it becomes necessary to suddenly leave your
  community, do you have at least 2 evacuation
  routes?

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Question 9

• At this very moment, can you readily find a
  flashlight and a portable broadcast radio in your
  home?

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Question 10

• Are you absolutely certain that they will work
  right now?

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Question 11

• In the past 12 months, have you participated in
  any additional ARRL, FEMA or ARC training
  activities?

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Question 12

• If approached by a reporter, can you answer
  questions youre authorized to answer without
  using jargon?

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CONCLUSION

• Work and train together
• Strive constantly for self-improvement
• Be ready to assist our neighbors
• Treat everyone around us as we want to be
  treated!

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• QUESTIONS?

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Introduction

• What is a communication emergency?
• A critical communication failure
• Puts the public at risk
• Examples?

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Intro

• What is different about ECOMM?
• Who you may talk to
• Cant be delayed
• Definitely not leisurely
• Unscheduled, no warning
• Working for a served agency
• Never to plan
• No reserve capacity, youre working all out

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Intro

• Whats it like?
• Activation could be before or after
• Reporting whos in charge?
• Operations tactical comms or messaging nets
• Volume high or low
• Assignments varied depending on need
• Changes as needed to do the job

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Intro

• Will you make a good volunteer?
• Do you have the technical skills?
• Can you work in a team?
• Are you a communicator or just a ham?
• Are you willing to prepare yourself?
• Are you willing to not be in charge?
• Can you work well with people who may not think
  youre needed?

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Intro

• Which methods might you use to pass a message?
• Repeater or simplex
• CB radio
• CW
• Fax machine
• Packet
• Telephone
• Cell phone
• Internet

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Amateurs as professionals

• Attitude
• Youre an amateur, youre not paid
• You must have a professional attitude though
• You arent working for yourself
• How professionals often see you
• Volunteer is not always a nice word!

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Amateurs as professionals

• Non-Communication Roles
• What should you be willing to do?
• What if youre asked to do something other than
  communicate?
• Some possible jobs
• Radio operator
• Dispatcher
• Field observer
• Damage assessor

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Amateurs as professionals

• Some specific agencies
• FEMA
• Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• State Local emergency management
• SKYWARN
• Any Others?

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Amateurs as professionals

• REMEMBER Youre there to help
• BUT
• You arent in control,
• the served agencies are!

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Amateurs as professionals

• Putting it in Writing
• Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs)
• ARRL has them with major organizations
• The professional approach
• Get your understanding in writing!

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Organizations Systems

• Why do we need organizations?
• Response is a team effort
• We need to think through scenarios
• We need to train
• If we dont work together before the disaster, it
  will be chaos during it

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Organizations Systems

• Amateur Radio Emergency Service -- ARES
• Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service -- RACES
• Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network
  SATERN
• Rapid Response Team -- RRT
• ARES Mutual Assistance Team -- ARESMAT
• Military Affiliate Radio Service -- MARS
• US Government Shares Resources System -- SHARES
• National Traffic System -- NTS

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Organizations Systems

• Local radio clubs
• National Communication System -- NCS
• FEMA National Radio System -- FNARS
• Radio Emergency Associated Communications Teams
  -- REACT
• Emergency Alert System -- EAS (Conelrad)
• NOAA Weather Alert and National Weather Radio --
  NWR
• National Warning System -- NAWAS
• Tsunami Warning System -- TWS
• National Earthquake Information Center -- NEIC

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ARRL ARES/NTS org chart
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Bernalillo County
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Columbia County
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Washington County
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Served Agency Systems

• Most agencies have their own
• Their procedures and styles may be different
• They may have specific rules regarding
  communications
• They may have specific frequencies to use

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Served Agency Systems

• Simplex systems
• Shared repeater systems
• Trunked systems
• Telephone systems
• Satellite systems

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• QUESTIONS?