Whatcom County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES)

Although we are not often called upon to assist with communications, it is very important that we are trained and our equipment is ready in case we are needed in a disaster or emergency. In order to encourage and assist the RACES membership in readiness and training, there are regular RACES meetings, weekly radio nets, and periodic emergency exercises (drills). Meetings, drills and other training opportunities are announced on the Whatcom Amateur Emergency Service net, which serves both RACES and ARES in Whatcom County.

The RACES in Whatcom county can only be activated by the Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management (DEM), and any RACES mission must be assigned a State mission number. The mission number allows operators participating in the activation to be covered with medical and equipment insurance. All RACES members must be registered as Whatcom DEM volunteers in order to be covered by this insurance.

Notification of an activation will come either through the Radio Officer, his representative, or directly from the Division of Emergency Management. If you have any doubts as to whether there is an actual call-out in progress, contact the Radio Officer.

All RACES members are strongly encouraged to attend the regular training meetings, and to check in to the weekly Whatcom Amateur Emergency Service net on Sunday. The WAES net is held at 1900 local time on the 147.16 (+) King Mt. repeater. RACES training meetings are held on the second Thursday of every Month. Time, location, and meeting topics are announced on the net.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) consists of amateur radio operators who have registered with American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and is organized and administered by the ARRL. Membership is open to all amateur operators, and serves the emergency communications needs of the general public. ARES can be activated either before, during, or after an emergency. In Washington State, ARES provides alternate communications for the American Red Cross and other non-governmental agencies or individuals. ARES as an organization is not specifically mentioned in Part 97 of the FCC regulations, and so has flexibility as to what stations ARES operators can communicate with during an emergency.

RACES is also made up of amateur radio operator volunteers. RACES members must be registered and activated by the DEM. According to Part 97.407 of the FCC regulations, during activation RACES stations are limited to communications with other RACES stations. Messages and other traffic are limited to government-to-government communications or messages concerning the following: Impending danger to the public or affecting national defense during emergencies; The immediate safety of individuals, the immediate protection of property, maintenance of law and order, all alleviation of human suffering and need, and combating armed attack and sabotage; The dissemination of information to the public from a Civil Defense or other government or relief organization.

RACES membership is open to all amateur operators who register as volunteers with their local emergency preparedness agency. In Whatcom county this is the DEM

Membership in one organization does not enroll you in the other; however in Whatcom County ARES and RACES share the same weekly radio net and members of either organization are encouraged to join both organizations.

Because the Division of Emergency Management recognizes that the mission of ARES is equally important to the community as the RACES mission it is DEM policy that no RACES members holding an officer position in ARES will be called out during out of county RACES deployment. This will avoid any potential conflict with ARES duties.

FCC pt.97.407 Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service Operation.

(d) An amateur station registered with a civil defense organization may only communicate with:

(e) All communications transmitted in RACES must be specifically authorized by the civil defense organization for the area served. Only civil defense communications of the following types may be transmitted:

When a disaster occurs in which RACES support is needed and phones are operating, the DEM will instruct the Radio Officer to activate the phone tree. When there is n o reliable telephone communication, RACES personnel should check into the 2-meter emergency RACES frequency (146.74) for information and net check - in.

1. The DEM requests a call - out.

2. The Radio Officer activates the RACES phone tree, pg. 7

3. If phones are unavailable, activation announcements will be made on all local 2-meter repeaters.

4. The Radio Officer or designated RACES officer initiates the emergency net on the 146.74(-) Mt. Constitution Repeater.

5. RACES members check in on the above frequency and await further instructions

6. If unable to access the 146.74 repeater, RACES members should check in on the next alternate frequency available. Alternate frequencies are listed below.

These are the official 2-meter frequencies for Whatcom County RACES operations and exercises. Please do not use other 2meter frequencies for RACES operation unless instructed to do so by the Radio Officer or EOC. OPS 2 and OPS 3 net frequencies will be determined by the Radio Officer.

RACES members listed on the phone tree should call those members directly connected to them when called and notified of activation. If you are unable to reach one or more of your primary contacts call those members directly connected to themworking y our way to the end of the tree.

If you are assigned to a location other than your home, check in with the official in charge of the location. If operating from home, check into the appropriate net as soon as possible. Site locations will be assigned by the Radio Officer, the R.O.’s designee, or the Whatcom County DEM. In Whatcom County, designated critical facilities have pre-assigned operators. If you have been officially pre-assigned to a site, you should not leave the site unless specifically requested to do so by the DEM, Radio Officer, other authorized RACES officer, or the official in charge of the facility unless you are in physical danger. Please do not respond to a pre-assigned site unless assigned to do so; you may be needed elsewhere.

Once your station is operational, check into your assigned net frequency to determine whether you have reliable communications. If not, try to move your station to the nearest acceptable location, then inform the site official in charge and check into your net. You should carry your DEM card for identification.

Critical Facility Antenna Sites:

St. Joseph’s Hospital Operators are pre-assigned to the above sites for automatic deployment when telephone systems fail during a disaster. If you would like to volunteer for assignment, please contact the Radio Officer.

The messages we transmit must be reliable and procedures applicable to the unique needs of Whatcom County are being developed. Please be aware that training in ARES/N’I’S traffic handling does not give you training in RACES message handling procedures and training in RACES messaging procedures does not give training in NTS traffic handling.

In the vast majority of situations, the two messaging forms/procedures are not interchangeable. Current RACES message forms are available from the DEM. For information about and instruction in using the NTS forms, contact the local ARES Emergency Coordinator or American Red Cross chapter.

The Whatcom County EOC message forms should be filled out as completely as possible, and at minimum must have the date, 24 hour local time, the operator’s name, and the identifier of the sending station, as well as the message text. All messages sent from; or received by RACES operators while on duty must be logged.

During emergency operations, each station location will be given a tactical call, and this call should be used both in transmission and on the message forms (see RACES net procedures).

Sign off with both your amateur call and tactical call (this is to ensure compliance with Federal law). For example, if KB7PKL was assigned the tactical call "Sumas," he would sign off "KB7PKL at Sumas clear." While many operators may consider the tactical calls unnecessary, please remember that most non-amateurs will have trouble recognizing amateur call signs. The tactical calls is to reduce confusion for the people we are transmitting for.

Two meter repeaters have large areas of coverage, and there will be many people other than RACES operators monitoring the frequency, including: other amateurs, the news media, scanner listeners and various public and private individuals and agencies. The same holds true for simplex frequencies - just because you aren’t on a repeater doesn’t mean no one is listening.

Because you have no control over who hears what you transmit, you must be very careful about what you say and how you say it over the air.

Keep all transmissions as short as possible. Not only will this keep unnecessary transmissions to a minimum and clear the frequency for other essential traffic, but the possibility of errors will be reduced.

If you are asked to send a message with strange wording, verify the wording and send it as is.

If you have questions about the mission and there is a responsible person supervising you or readily available on site, ask them before asking questions over the air. Any transmission you make can be picked up and the information used by the news media. A good rule of thumb is to pass traffic when it is given to you, but do not initiate a transmission unless necessary.

While on duty, you may be approached by someone asking information about what is going on. Refer the person to the Public Information Officer. If no PIO is present, refer them to the official in charge. RACES operators are not authorized to release any mission information to the public.

Any statements made to the news media should be made by the PIO or officers designated by the DEM or official on site. Nothing said to any news reporter is ever off the record; do not answer questions from the media - always refer them to the PIO. Unauthorized reports to the media can lead to misunderstandings, misinformation, and possibly even legal action. During a DEM/RACES mission, RACES operators releasing unauthorized information to the media will be removed from duty.

The following text provides the Division of Emergency Management’s approved model for official D.E.M. QST messages. Official QSTs from RACES members representing the DEM should only be used after full approval of completed text by a DEM staff member.

No unauthorized QSTs may be sent using the WC7AAY call.

QST, QST, QST

THIS IS WC7AAY, THE WHATCOM COUNTY DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT’S EOC/RACES STATION.

I HAVE A BULLETIN CONCERNING... (local weather conditions, road closures, hazard information, etc.)

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL WHATCOM COUNTY RACES MEMBERS AND OTHER INTERESTED AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS.

(read information)

END OF QST... THIS IS WC7AAY.

Please read D.E.M. QSTs on each of the following repeaters: Mt. Constitution- 146.740; King Mountain- 147.160; Sumas Mountain- 145.230

R.A.C.E.S. NET PROCEDURE GUIDELINES

THESE ARE GUIDELINES DEVELOPED BY THE E.O.C. IN ORDER TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION DURING A DISASTER. PLEASE FOLLOW THESE PROCEDURES DURING EXERCISE, DRILL, AND ACTUAL DISASTER ACTIVATIONS.

1.The net control station is WC7AAY. The net control operator(s) will be designated by the EOC.

2.All station operators will identify themselves by a tactical call sign at the beginning of each transmission, and by amateur call at the end of transmission. Tactical call signs will be designated by the EOC.

3.All RACES communication will go through the net control station; however, stations not able to communicate with net control may relay through an authorized station. Any traffic between non-control stations must either relay through net control, or be approved for direct station to station communications by net control. All RACES nets will be directed nets - no exceptions.

4. If a station operator has a clear signal from a net station that is unable to reliably communicate with net control, the receiver should notify net control immediately. Net control will then designate a relay station from among those stations able to provide reliable transmissions.

5. Any authorized direct traffc must be kept to a minimum, so please be brief. When practical, net control will direct such communication to an alternate frequency, preferably simplex. Any station directed to an alternate frequency must return to the primary net frequency as soon as possible.

6. If a station has emergency traffic (involving immediate danger to life or property), that station will begin transmission with the words break break break. This is followed by the tactical call. This is the only time any station is authorized to use the phrase break, break, break."

7. If a station has non-emergency traffic and the frequency is not clear, the station should either wait or give its’ tactical call. Net control will either give instructions to transmit or standby. If net control does not acknowledge the transmission with in 2 minutes, the station should give its’ tactical call again, but please be aware that you may be asked to stand by for a considerable length of time. Messages are answered by priorities based on immediate/emergency need.

9. All stations must log all traffic directed to and originating from their station.

RACES operators are encouraged to volunteer as net control station for the regular Whatcom Amateur Emergency Service nets as a training exercise. This affords an opportunity for RACES members to practice net control on the air with a minimum of pressure, and is one of the main reasons for the existence of the net. Operators interested in acting as net control should contact the Radio Officer or the Net Manager. This can be done either after the net, or by phone. RACES and ARES officers are listed on the Whatcom Amateur Emergency Service Net Roster.

The WAES net meets Sunday nights at 1900 hours local time on the 147.16 (King Mountain) repeater. Check ins for members who cannot reach the repeater will be taken five minutes before the net on the 145.23 (Sumas Mountain) repeater, and any bulletins or information will be relayed on the same repeater five to ten minutes after the close of the net.

The following pages contain examples of the WAES Net Control Preamble and the WAES roster. Both are updated regularly and made available to members at meetings, and by packet on the K7SKW bbs, operating on 144.95mhz.

QST QST QST This is , Net Control for the Whatcom Amateur Emergency Service Net. This is a DIRECTED NET.

The purpose of the Emergency Service Net is to provide a communication link between net members and its officers. The net is intended to provide ALL Amateur Radio Operators with information about training in ARES, RACES, emergency service, net control and traffic handling areas.

This net meets every Sunday 1900 local time. Primary net frequency is 147.16, offset plus 600 for the K7SKW King Mt. repeater with alternate frequencies of 146.74, offset minus 600, and 146.50 simplex. Please DO NOT act as a relay station unless Net Control asks you to do so.

Any traffic or comments for the net should concern Emergency Service related items or emergencies only. PLEASE DO NOT BREAK THIS NET FOR ANY OTHER REASON. THIS IS A DIRECTED NET.

Does any station have emergency traffic? (if none, continue)

Those stations with bulletins or information for the net, please give your call now. (Log stations and call in order listed)

Those who need to secure early from the net please identify your station when your quadrant is called. (log early check-ins)

I will now take check-ins from members, beginning with officers (log officers & read back, ask for others. Do same with members)

This is , Net Control. Are there any check-ins from out of county ARES or RACES Members? (log calls)

Any guests who wish to check in or other stations having business for the net, please give your call now (log calls, then read list) If there are any missed stations or late check-ins, please give your call and quadrant now (log and read list) This is , net control. I will now ask for bulletins or traffic for the net by quadrant . (example: "Stations from quadrant A with comments, please give your call." After taking comments from quadrant D, continue) Do any other stations have traffic for the net? (log calls and take comments)

Are there any additional late check-ins? (log calls)

Net officers with additional comments for the net, please give your call now.

Stations desiring after net contacts, please give your call and that of the station you wish to contact now. (log calls and handle traffic)

This is _______, net control. Thanks to all for checking in, and to the Mount Baker Amateur Radio Club and the MBARC Repeater Group for the use of the K7SKW King mountain repeater. I am closing the net at and returning the repeater to normal operation. This is _________.

1. Hold a valid registration card from. the Whatcom County Division of Emergency Management (Necessary for State insurance coverage).

2. Hold a current Amateur Radio License, Technician class or above.

3. Current training in basic First Aid and CPR.

4. Familiarity with the Whatcom DEM RACES Operations Manual and Messaging procedures

5. Basic knowledge of compass use and map reading

6. Possess adequate outdoor clothing for Whatcom County environment (i.e., wool or synthetic inner and outer wear, rain gear, appropriate footwear, etc.)

7. Access to 2-meter or HF equipment appropriate to license class. Both mobile and HT units recommended, but not required.

8. Membership in the Mt. Baker Amateur Radio Club Repeater Group with access to auto patch codes.

9. Maintain a fully stocked RACES call-out kit with items listed below plus additions deemed appropriate by the individual kit owner.

I. INTRODUCTION - Deleted

II. PURPOSE

The purpose of this plan is to provide guidance, establish responsibility, and ensure coordinated operations between State of Washington government officials (state/local) and the RACES organizations during times when there are extraordinary threats to the safety of life and/or property. Maximum benefits from the RACES organizations can be obtained only through careful planning which identifies the organizations, agencies, and individuals concerned and assigns a definitive role to each. This plan enables agencies and organizations having emergency responsibilities to include the RACES organizations in local emergency plans and programs.

III. SCOPE

The focus of this plan will address the responsibilities and procedures that the state Emergency Management Division, State RACES Officer, local emergency management offices, and local RACES Officers/organizations have for employing amateur radio during region or statewide emergencies/disasters in support of state government agencies and others. Possible missions will be identified for use of local RACES organizations in support of state government agencies/others located within a local jurisdiction. The missions should be included in local RACES operations plans.

IV. AUTHORITY

A. Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations, Part 97 subpart E, section 97.407 addresses RACES.

B. FEMA Civil Preparedness Guide (CPG) 1-15, dated March 1991, titled: Guidance for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.

V. ORGANIZATION

A. Per CPG 1-15, the state and local Emergency Management Directors (or designated representative) appoints, in writing, a reliable amateur radio operator to serve as the RACES Officer

B. The RACES Officer serves as the liaison between the RACES organization and the emergency management director, recruits members for the organization, and develops plans for the employment of the organization in support of the government agencies which it serves.

C. The RACES organization consists of volunteers who possess a valid FCC Amateur Radio Operator License. Additionally; RACES participants shall be registered as emergency workers with the state or local emergency management office the primarily support.

D. ARES organizations may serve as RACES organizations as long as the requirements identified in CPG-15 are met. all amateur radio organizations and/or individual operators within the state are encouraged to participate in the RACES program within respective jurisdictions.

VI. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

A. Deleted

B. Deleted

C. Once Contacted, the State RACES Officer will implement this plan in coordination with local RACES Officers. Amateur radio, through RACES organizations operators, should be prepared to support the following tasks missions at the state and local levels:

D. When activated to conduct the above tasks/missions, RACES organizations/operators will be employed in the network levels depicted in Annex A, Network. Levels.

E. Network and frequency assignments are identified at Annex A, Appendix 3, Network Assignment and Frequencies.(remainder deleted)

F. Deleted

G. Deleted

VII. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Local Emergency Management/Services Organizations are responsible for:

B. Deleted

ANNEX A (NETWORK LEVELS)

PURPOSE

The purpose of this annex is to describe and provide guidance on the implementation of the state and local level networks using amateur radio.

II. NETWORK LEVELS

For purposes of network management and control, state and local network levels will be established, as needed, to ensure emergency back-up communications are planned/coordinated for and are available to support emergency/disaster operations of the state. Three network levels at both the state and local level have been identified and are defined below.

A. State Level

1. State Command 1 (CMD 1 ) - As depicted at Appendix 1 the CMD 1 network provides communications between the State ECC Net Control Station (NCS), the nine (9) region NCS’s, and County EOC’s identified at Appendix 3.

2. Deleted

3. State Command 3 (CMD 3) - As depicted at Appendix 1 the CMD 3 network provides emergency back-up communications between state agency district region offices and their units/elements deployed in the field which are supporting the emergency/disaster.

B. Local Level

1. Local Operations 1 (OPS 1 ) - As depicted at Appendix 2 the OPS 1 network provides communications between the Region NCS and the county EOCs within respective regions.

2. Local Operations 2 (OPS 2) - As depicted at Appendix 2 the OPS 2 network provides emergency back-up communications between the county EOC, respective local jurisdictions (cities), and county agencies/districts command posts (i.e., Sheriff, fire department/district, 9-1-1 Center, public works department, staging areas/base camps, incident command post, and other government offices).

3. Local Operations 3 (OPS 3) - As depicted at Appendix 2 the OPS 3 network provides emergency back-up communications between county agencies/districts/command posts and city EOC’s and their respective units/elements that are in the field supporting emergency/disaster operations.

III. CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

A - C. Deleted

D. County and City EOC’s will establish respective OPS 2 and 3 nets, as needed.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Deleted

B. Deleted

C. County Emergency Management Office

V. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS

APPENDIX 3 (NETWORK ASSIGNMENT & FREQUENCIES) TO ANNEX A (NETWORK LEVELS) OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON RACES PLAN

STATE LEVEL

A. Command 1 (CMD 1 ). The CMD 1 network will be comprised of the following stations:

Primary Daytime Frequency: 3.987 MHz

Alternate Daytime Frequency: 7.245 MHz

B. Deleted

II. LOCAL LEVEL

2-10 -deleted

III. FREQUENCY ASSIGNMENT

The State, Region, and/or County Net Control Station may operate the networks previously discussed using any frequency within the amateur spectrum taking into consideration the capabilities of the stations within respective nets. The State ECC RACES station will operate on frequencies assigned in subparagraph A and use other frequencies as needed.

A. State ECC - CMD 1 net

(HF frequencies restated - deleted)

2-meter:

            2-meter PACKET

B. Deleted

C. Use of frequencies should be coordinated with the County RACES Officer in which assigned or operating in.

ANNEXES B AND C - Deleted

APPENDIX 1- State Level Networks

This appendix is a flow chart of the CMD 1, 2, and ,3 net organizations with the following note:

COUNTY EOC ON CMD 1 TO PASS IMMEDIATE TRAFFIC ONLY. MAY PASS PRIORITY" TRAFFIC IF REGION NCS IS NOT ABLE TO RELAY.

APPENDIX 2 - Local Level Networks

This appendix is a flow chart of the OPS1,2, and 3 networks.

A copy of the complete text of the State of Washington Radio Amateur Civil Emergency services RACES Plan is available at the Whatcom County EOC and at the RACES station in the Search and Rescue building on the Smith road. The current callsign for the State RACES EOC station is WA7PHD. Packet address is WA7PHD-1.

The current State RACES Radio Officer is Jim Sutton, WA7PHD.