EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Douglas County ARES

December, 2009

 Introduction:  The Douglas County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) is composed of FCC licensed Amateur Radio Operators who have voluntarily registered their capabilities and equipment for public service communication duty.

Purposes:

The purpose of this plan is to provide written information and guidelines relative to emergency communications.  Each situation is unique, and flexibility to provide an adequate response to each is a necessity.

The primary responsibility of the Douglas County ARES is to furnish emergency communications in the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, when normal channels fail, or are overloaded, as an auxiliary means of information exchanges.

All drills, training and instruction shall be carried out to ensure readiness to respond quickly in providing effective amateur emergency communication.  All members will complete ICS 100, 200, & 700 and provide proof of completion.  All members should have a “jump kit”.

The following agencies could be served during a communication emergency:  The American Red Cross, Mercy Medical Center, Roseburg VA Health Care System, Douglas County Health Department, Oregon National Guard, law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and the Oregon Department of Forestry.  The distant coastal area of Douglas County including Douglas Co. Sheriff as well as coastal fire departments could be an area of need.

The primary served agency is the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Douglas County Emergency Manager.  There are no Memoranda of Understanding extended to any other agencies to imply the provision of radio operators.  The agencies are encouraged to have their own employees obtain at least a technician class amateur license to operate their own radio equipment, and ARES offers classes to their employees to obtain the necessary education to become licensed.

Activating the Plan

In an emergency Douglas County ARES can be alerted by private or public services agencies, by an ARES member or another amateur radio operator.  Activation of the ARES unit should be initiated by the Douglas County Emergency Manager through the Emergency Coordinator (EC) and an Assistant Emergency Coordinator (AEC). The Emergency Coordinator for ARES or Assistant Emergency Coordinator should be notified via radio or telephone in the event of a potential need.  Self activation or involvement in situations without the Emergency Manager activation, and registering and assignment by the EC or AEC for Douglas County ARES will void any workman’s compensation claims.

Once an emergency or potential emergency condition has been identified, the EC, AEC, or designated net control operator, (NCO) will announce the situation over the local repeaters and simplex frequencies.   All ARES members will stand-by and monitor the frequency.  If warranted a roll call will be conducted. 

Mobilization Procedure

Upon awareness of a communication emergency DC ARES members should monitor the following repeaters:

145.430 (-)  no tone, 146.900 (-) 100.0 Hz. Tone, 145.470 (-) 123.0 Hz. Tone, 147.120 Mhz. (+) 100.0 Hz. Tone, 147.240 Mhz. (+) 136.5 Hz. Tone, 441.875 Mhz. (+) 88.5 Hz. Tone, 441.850 Mhz. (+) 100.0 Hz. Tone,  440.300 Mhz. (+) 88.5 Hz. tone with remote VHF base, and simplex frequencies of 147.500 Mhz. and 146.520 Mhz.

The EC or AEC “in charge” may assign a net control or assume these duties.  The Net Control Station should be located in the area affected by the emergency.  If accessible and available, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office DC ARES EOC will be opened and staffed.  An alternate EOC will be determined in the event that the EOC at the Sheriff’s office is involved in the disaster and inaccessible.

             5.  Operations 

              5.1 Stations will normally communicate to or through the net control station, (NCS) except when traffic is classified as an EMERGENCY.  The use of good judgment is essential.

              5.2 In so far as practical, formal traffic should be in writing and should be signed by the originating official, to insure authenticity and accuracy.

              5.3 Digital messages to OEM such as Declaration of Emergency or Situation Reports with signatures should be sent with the typed name of the initiator with a “/s/” to indicate that signature is on file.  This allows for narrow band width and faster transmission of digital messages. 

Duties of Net Control Station (NCS)

 Initial duties will to establish a net, develop a roster of amateur operators available and coordinate assignments with the EC or AEC.

  The NCS will keep a list of duty assignments and establish shifts of reasonable duration of time.

  The NCS will develop a list of available operators who are not ARES members who will volunteer their services, and they will be oriented

and screened, and properly registered prior to assignment.  Assignment by emergent volunteers will be with another ARES member.  Members will represent ARES by using their green shirt provided or appropriate shirt, and an ARES hat.  Please don’t use jackets or shirts decorated with patches since they detract from our image as cable of providing professional communication services.

 The NCS will maintain on the air discipline to ensure an efficient and effective operation.

6.5 Tactical call signs should be used to denote location or function to facilitate communications.  FCC ID rules should be followed, and at the end of a communication, the amateur call sign should be given.

6.6 The NCS or Assist NCS will maintain a log of all important traffic in the simplest form possible for the duration of the emergency.  This should include, date, time, call sign (tactical call sign), brief description of traffic, and any action taken on traffic.   These messages should be sequentially numbered so that follow up responses can be referenced to the original message.  Written communications sent digitally should be sent via ICS-213 format.

 Relay stations should be established if any dead spots are found.

6.8   Radio frequency/repeater utilization should be as follows:

145.430 (-) no tone,  should be maintained for distant stations within or outside of Douglas County.

147.240 Mhz. (+) 136.5 Hz. Tone,  should be utilized as a local or within range general talk frequency.  This will allow for general traffic as well as health and welfare traffic.

146.900 Mhz. (-) 100.0 Hz. Tone should be utilized for central Douglas County traffic.

147.120 Mhz. (+) 100.0 Hz. Tone should be for South Douglas County.

145.470 Mhz. (-) 123.0 Hz. Tone is for Local Roseburg traffic, and for intercommunicapability between Red Cross, Mercy Medical Center, Douglas County Health Department, Roseburg VA Health Care System, and for these agencies access to the Emergency Operations Center at the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.  Also, 441.850 (+) 100.0 Hz. Tone should be utilized if available for intercommunication with adjoining counties.

440.300 Mhz. (+) 88.5 Hz. Tone with the remote VHF base should be utilized for communication with the coastal areas of Douglas County, adjoining counties, and to Oregon Emergency Management in Salem.

This remote base has the following repeaters and simplex frequencies:   Winchester Bay, Coquille, Coos Bay, Eugene, Mary’s Peak, Salem, ARES simplex, and National simplex.

441.875 Mhz. (+) 186.2 Hz. tone available for local use.

147.500 Mhz. simplex, the ARES simplex frequencies should be utilized for tactical communications in particular areas to keep the repeated frequencies open.  HF voice and HF pactor will require a general class or extra class licensed operator

 Drills, Tests, and Training

7.1 The DC ARES net meets every Monday at 7.)) p.m. (1900 hrs.) on 145.430 Mhz. repeater, with 146.900 Mhz. repeater as a backup.  This weekly net is designed to help all amateurs in the Douglas County areas stay informed on bulletins, training, and other necessary ARES information.  This net also serves as a training medium so that ARES members may get experience as Net Control Operators.

7.2 The EC or an AEC may, unannounced, activate a drill, test or simulated “call up” to test our readiness.

7.3 Training functions may include participation in local public service events, parades, etc., or other activities requested by the Douglas County Emergency Manager that help us to improve our skills.  This also includes statewide “SETS” for digital communications and other SETS.  ARES should maintain a current copy of the communication plan in their jump kit.  It can be located on the ARES webpage at:

http://www.qsl.net/k7rbg/