Drill Information:
AMATEUR RADIO REPONSE
to
CLINTON COUNTY DISASTER DRILL
NOVEMBER 6, 2004
Mark Phillips, W9PC
Scenario:
A countywide disaster drill featuring a simulated chemical spill at the
Frankfort, IN Waste Water Treatment Plant was held on November 6, 2004.
This report details the participation and activities of Amateur Radio
personnel.
Background:
Clinton County Amateur Radio volunteers are organized for disaster response
into 2 organizations. ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) in Clinton
County is led by its Emergency Coordinator (EC), Mark Phillips, W9PC.
ARES provides emergency and special event communications upon request
to all agencies.
RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) is led by its Radio Officer (RO), Jon Crispen K9JRC. RACES provides back up communication to EMA.
ARES and RACES support and cooperate fully with each other, and most of our active local Amateurs are members of both. All Amateur Radio operators hold a license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
In this drill, ARES and RACES operated as
a combined team led and coordinated by Mark Phillips, W9PC. Jon Crispen,
K9JRC, was at the site, but was engaged in EMA activities most of the
time.
Objective of Amateur Radio in this Drill:
Respond to a request for communications service at the site by deploying
personnel and equipment to the site. Establish an effective Amateur Radio
station as quickly as possible. Provide back up communications for Red
Cross, EMA, and any other agency. Conduct communications tests from the
site to American Red Cross and to SEMA, both in Indianapolis. Demonstrate
communications capability by sending Radiogram messages (written messages
similar to telegrams) to those destinations. Avoid causing hazards, additional
work, or concerns for participating emergency personnel.
Summary:
All objectives were met. Initial site communications were established
immediately upon arrival of the Amateur Radio team, about 30 minutes after
initial notification was received by Mark Phillips at his home. Communications
were improved in stages, with very effective statewide communications
capability in place 35 minutes after the Amateurs arrived. 6 Radiograms
were sent, 5 to Indianapolis, and 1 to Terre Haute. 1 Radiogram was received
from Indianapolis. Direct communication with SEMA’s Indianapolis
operations center was maintained, and direct communication with the Indianapolis
Red Cross Amateur Radio Coordinator was also maintained.
The team was in communication with Amateur Radio networks that have capability to forward messages to anywhere in the United States.
5 local Amateurs participated, as well as 2 in Boone County, and several supporting Amateurs in Indianapolis and Terre Haute.
Lessons Learned:
A van or trailer equipped with Amateur Radio equipment and antennas is
needed to make quickly deployable impromptu site operations practical.
Electronic equipment, paper work, and operators all need protection from
the weather. A suitable vehicle would minimize the time to gather equipment,
deploy, set up, and install.
Better coordination with other agency communication personnel and networks is needed, particularly EMA.
A reliable Amateur Radio vhf Repeater with good countywide coverage is needed.
Conclusions:
Local Amateurs can respond and establish effective communications within
a local area approximating the county in size immediately upon arrival
at an impromptu site. Statewide communications can be established within
about 30 minutes of arrival.
Inclusion of Amateur Radio in future drills and planning is needed to assure that a capable response will be available when needed.
Comments:
ARES and RACES appreciate the inclusion of Amateur Radio into this drill,
and look forward to future activities.
Activity Detail, November 6, 2004 (all times
EST, AM):
7:45 Mark Phillips, W9PC, received cell phone call from the site. ARES
presence at the site requested by Kristi Marcinko of Clinton County Red
Cross.
7:46 W9PC calls on 147.045 repeater for ARES volunteers, and directs their deployment. Bill Caldwell KC9ERL, Tony Hardesty KB9LKD, and Bruce Butler KC9DHI deploy to the site immediately. John Davey N9SEZ remains at his home to provide base station relay capability. W9PC directs all stations to switch to a designated vhf simplex frequency, then leaves his home for the site. In addition, 2 Boone County Amateurs monitor the situation in case their assistance is needed. All maintain contact on vhf while the team is enroute to the site.
8:15 W9PC, KC9ERL, KB9LKD, and KC9DHI arrive at the site. Vhf communication capability is immediately available upon their arrival via their mobile and hand-held equipment. Coverage direct is about 10 to 15 miles, and as far as Indianapolis with relay by N9SEZ using his home station. A station site and operations center is selected near the Humane Society entrance sign. A table is set up for a station operations desk. Installation of an improved vhf station commences, with a 50 watt FM transceiver and a vertical antenna on a 10 feet high mast. Power is 12VDC from a car. Installation of an hf station also commences. The hf station is a 100 watt SSB/CW transceiver, also powered by 12VDC from a car. The hf antenna is a set of mobile whips on a car, cabled to the operations desk. A 12 VDC storage battery has to be substituted for power due to a broken connector at the car.
8:25 Both the improved vhf station and the initial hf station installation is complete. Direct coverage on vhf improves to about 20 miles. Hf coverage is unknown. Kristi Marcinko of the Red Cross submits a Priority message for transmission to Red Cross in Indianapolis. It reads “TEST MESSAGE X HAZ MAT LEAK EVACUATING RESIDENTS 50 RESIDENTS EFFECTED NEED ERV WITH SUPPLIES FOR SHELTER OF 50 --- Signature KRISTI MARCINKO RED CROSS”.
8:35 KC9ERL checks in the statewide traffic net, Indiana Traffic Net (ITN) on 3.9 mhz Single Sideband Radiotelephony (voice SSB). Net Control says our signal is too weak to permit reception of our message traffic.
8:40 An improved hf antenna installation begins. It is a G5RV wire dipole antenna, about 125 feet long, about 12 feet above the ground, supported by trees.
8:50 Improved hf antenna installation complete. Signal is now reported to be strong and useable on the Indiana Traffic Net. Coverage on hf is at least statewide, and probably extends to several surrounding states as well.
8:54 KC9ERL transmits Kristi’s Priority message to Art Bleicher, Jr., WB9CHR, the Red Cross Amateur Radio Club Coordinator in Danville, IN. He will forward it to Red Cross HQ, Indianapolis.
9:11 KC9ERL sends communication test message:
Addressed to SEMA Dispatcher, Indianapolis, sent to W9SEM, the SEMA club
station at SEMA HQ. Message reads “TEST MESSAGE X CLINTON CO RACES
PARTICIPATING IN CHEMICAL SPILL DRILL FRANKFORT ---Signature JON CRISPEN
K9JRC CLINTON RACES RO”.
KC9ERL sends communication test message:
Addressed to Rodger Cupka, Communications Director SEMA, Indianapolis,
sent to W9SEM (SEMA club station). Message reads “TEST MESSAGE X
CHEMICAL SPILL DRILL FRANKFORT X 5 RACES MEMBERS PARTICIPATING ---- Signature
JON CRISPEN K9JRC CLINTON RACES RO”.
KC9ERL sends communication test message:
Addressed to Art Bleicher WB9CHR, Indianapolis Red Cross Amateur Radio
Club Coordinator, and sent to WB9CHR. Message reads: TEST MESSAGE X ARL
FIFTY FROM CLINTON CO ARES X YOUR COOPERATION APPRECIATED X 73 --- Signature
MARK W9PC”. Note: ARL FIFTY is shorthand for Greetings Via Amateur
Radio.
9:15 KC9ERL sends communication test message:
Addressed to Red Cross Amateur Radio Club WA9LGQ, Indianapolis, sent to
Art WB9CHR. Message reads: “TEST MESSAGE X CHEMICAL SPILL DRILL
IN FRANKFORT IN X 5 ARES MEMBERS PARTICIPATING --- Signature MARK W9PC
CLINTON CO EC”.
9:18 KC9ERL receives a message from SEMA confirming receipt of 2 of our messages, from W9SEM. Message reads: “MESSAGES 31 AND 32 DELIVERED X --- Signature Tom W9SEM”. Note: Our messages numbers 31 and 32 were to SEMA Dispatcher and to Roger Cupka SEMA Communications Director, respectively.
9:25 KC9ERL checks out of the Indiana Traffic Net, and the net’s morning session is complete.
9:35 W9PC checks into the state wide traffic network, Indiana CW Traffic Net (QIN) on 3.6 mhz CW (radiotelegraph mode).
9:45 W9PC sends an activity notification report message to the Indiana Section Emergency Coordinator, David Pifer N9YNF in Terre Haute, IN. Message reads: “TEST MESSAGE X CLINTON CO ARES PARTICIPATING IN CHEMICAL SPILL DRILL FRANKFORT--- Signature MARK W9PC CLINTON EC”.
9:50 W9PC excused from the net.
9:55 Closed station and began disassembly.
10:15 Left the site.
Mark Phillips W9PC
Clinton County ARES Emergency Coordinator
AMATEUR RADIO REPONSE
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CLINTON COUNTY SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST (SET)
October 6, 2004
Mark Phillips, W9PC
This report summarizes the activities of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) in Clinton County during an emergency communication training exercise on October 16, 2004 called Simulated Emergency Test (SET).
Amateur Radio operators, often known as “Amateurs” or “Hams”, hold a license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The license authorizes the Amateur to communicate with other Amateurs for non-commercial purposes such as hobby, experimentation, and public service. The skills, knowledge, and equipment possessed by Amateurs can be well suited to providing communications during emergency conditions. The county Amateur Radio Emergency Coordinator (EC) is responsible for organizing and training local Amateurs for this purpose. He also interfaces with local agencies to learn their emergency communication needs, and to build a working relationship with them before disaster strikes.
SET is held every fall, promoted by the ARRL (a national organization of Amateurs) to involve a maximum number Amateurs in conducting simulated emergency communications in cooperation with their local served agencies.
Objectives:
1. Conduct a realistic emergency communication exercise for Amateur Radio operator training.
2. Improve Amateur operator skills and knowledge. Emphasize use of Radiograms to format and document messages.
3. Test radio equipment, including transceivers, power supplies, antennas, and misc.
4. Acquaint public service agencies with Amateur Radio procedures and capabilities.
5. Demonstrate Amateur capabilities to served agencies.
6. Build rapport between Amateurs and served agency personnel.
7. Learn ways to improve Amateur Radio emergency capabilities.
Participants: (EC = Emergency Coord.), (AEC
= Assistant Emergency Coord.)
Amateurs Agencies, Contact, Location
W9PC (EC), Mark Phillips EMA, Jon Crispen, EMA Garage
K9JRC (AEC), Jon Crispen “
KC9ERL (AEC), Bill Caldwell Clinton County Board of Health, Rodney Wann
KB9LKD, Tony Hardesty “
KC9DHI, Bruce Butler “ and mobile at Sheriff HQ
WM9M, Terry Lenehan Red Cross, Kristi Marcinko, Red Cross Office
N9SEZ, John Davey St. Vincent’s Frankfort Hospital, Dr. Steven Tharp
K9MD, Steve Tharp “
N9RNZ, Ron Koble Rossville Vol. Ambulance Service, Ron Koble
K9FUE, Bill Stong “
Preparation:
The exercise was scheduled for 7:30am to 10:30am on October 16, 2004.
Prior to the date of the exercise, a framework for a realistic emergency
drill was developed in cooperation with Rodney Wann of the local Planned
Preparedness office. A requirement for emergency power by all county Amateur
stations was included to create a maximum effort emergency scenario.
All participating agencies were contacted in advance by Mark Phillips and Bill Caldwell. The contact person at each agency was briefed on the activities planned for Amateurs, and instructed to be prepared to communicate with other agencies using written messages similar to telegrams, called Radiograms. Their actual messages were to be composed in real time according to the way the scenario unfolded, and given to an Amateur Radio operator for formatting and transmittal. Imaginative, yet realistic, messages were encouraged. No actual dispatch of agency equipment or personnel was needed or wanted. Telephones and cell phones were assumed to be non-working.
Amateur operators were told the time of the exercise, to assemble at EMA garage at 7:00am, and to anticipate using emergency power for their equipment. At that time, Amateurs were assigned to locations and told to report to the contact person at those locations. Other details were with held until the exercise began.
Operations:
At 7:30am, W9PC started a network (net) operation of participating Amateur
stations on an Amateur Radio vhf frequency. Net Control was at the EMA
garage for the first time ever, using recently installed Amateur Radio
antennas at that site. The net operated continuously throughout the following
3 hours of the exercise. N9RNZ at Rossville Volunteer Ambulance Service
stated things off with a “Test Emergency” (Test is understood
by Amateurs to signify a drill) message to CCBOH that a large suspected
Hepatitis A outbreak was under way in Rossville. This caused several messages
to be sent back and forth between all agencies requesting clarification,
personnel, supplies, transport, vaccine, and security. There were also
some simulated Health and Welfare messages originated to family members
in other states. W9PC and K9JRC alternated as Net Control stations to
direct an orderly flow of message traffic on the local net.
A total of 28 Radiogram messages were originated and transmitted by Clinton County Amateurs. 20 of those messages carried an “Emergency” prioritization. 9 messages were addressed to locations outside Clinton County with destinations including Boone County, Indianapolis, Terre Haute, Middlebury, IN, Kalamazoo, MI, and San Antonio, TX. Boone County Amateurs handled the messages addressed to Boone County. The Amateur Radio National Traffic System (NTS) was utilized to relay the 4 of the longer distance messages toward their ultimate destinations using a system of nets operating on Amateur high frequencies. A complete log of all of the messages is attached in Excel format.
Boone County Amateurs interfaced with Clinton County Amateurs to pass message traffic between the 2 counties.
By 10:30am, all messages were delivered or entered into NTS, and the exercise was terminated.
Evaluation:
All objectives were met. Amateurs gained valuable practice and experience.
Participants at the agencies are now much more familiar with some of the
capabilities of Amateur Radio. Both Amateur and agency contacts built
personal rapport.
The new Amateur antennas at the EMA garage were very effective, helping to make the new Amateur Radio Emergency Communication Center at that site a useful and valuable addition to the county. Antennas and emergency power supplies at some of the Amateur portable stations set up in agency buildings were only marginally adequate. This required many of the messages to be manually relayed through an intermediate station on the way to their ultimate destination within the county. Permanent antennas installed at key locations would improve the flow of radio traffic significantly by reducing the need for relays. Some Amateurs plan to acquire improved portable antennas and power supplies. A good and reliable Amateur Radio repeater station with emergency power supply would greatly improve county wide Amateur communications, especially for low power hand-held and mobile stations.
Amateurs identified a need for additional Test Emergency exercises throughout the year for more practice. Increased participation in this type of training drill by other local amateurs is needed. Continuing interface between the EC and the agencies throughout the year should be maintained.
The support and cooperation of all of the
participating agencies made this the most realistic, useful, challenging,
and entertaining Amateur Radio emergency communication drill held in Clinton
County in a very long time. Thank You to everyone who participated.
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