ARRL Certification Program
Emergency Communications
Emergency Callout

Activation techniques used in Hawaii are mentioned here.  Because of differences within each locale, some of these methods may not apply to other parts of the country.  I would appreciate hearing from other Continuing Ed contributors, so that the material can be made accurate.
 

1. Local and State Warning Points and Networks

Each community maintains an operating center manned 24 hours a day that looks after it's welfare.  Typically, the location is the county police headquarters.  It may hold the call center for receiving emergency 911 telephone calls.  The 911 operators log the calls into the tracking/dispatching computer and tie in dispatchers from other emergency services such as police, fire and medical.  The combination of police dispatching for the county and 911 operations makes the county police headquarters the logical place to begin an activation.  These manned operational centers that alert key emergency management agencies are called "warning points".

Depending on the emergency, the county police HQ communications center would alert a series of responders.  Assuming that the emergency has happened with no prior warning, the first level of response is at the county level.  These could include fire, ambulance, and the county civil defense.  These alerts could be done via closed, wireline networks (voice and data) and alphanumeric pagers.  The county civil defense staff would make the determination if the situation warranted activating their volunteers, including communications volunteers.  Those amateurs involved with RACES at the county level would be the logical starting point for amateur radio notification.
 

2. Public Warning Networks

A number of warning networks exist to inform the public on a timely basis.  These networks will not carry the same alerts as those used by emergency management agencies, however, it will keep you informed in the most practical manner.  Each network carries information from different sources, so the timeliness will vary depending on the nature of the emergency.
1. NOAA Weather Alert & NWR (National Weather Radio)

For most emergencies dealing with nature, the National Weather Radio, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is a good source of alerts.  NWR is fed from the National Weather Service, with its network of forecasting offices, and yields timely and quality alerts dealing with weather and other natural events.  Depending on the region, the NWS office is tied into the Tsunami Warning System (TWS) to get timely alerts on Pacific-wide tsunamis.  Many of the NWS alerts go out through NWR within a few minutes of being received by the forecast office.

NWR uses seven frequencies in the 162 Megahertz radio band to carry audio broadcasts to the general public.  The receivers can be purchased at radio stores throughout the country.  You can put the radio in alert mode, where the radio remains silent until it hears an alert generated by the local NWS forecast office.

It is advisable to purchase radios with the digital Specific Area Message Encoding (SAME)  alert mechanism.  Receivers equipped with SAME will remain silent monitoring for alerts specific to a geographic area.  You program in the five-digit FIPS code designating your area.  When the NWS broadcasts the alert with the SAME code matching that programmed into the receiver, the receiver will unmute and allow you to hear the audio message concerning the alert.  The NWS tests the SAME network at least once weekly, and the radio will indicate to you if it has heard the test alert within the past week.

2. Emergency Alert System (Broadcast Radio & TV)

One can also get alerts and information via the Emergency Alert System (EAS).  The FCC has mandated that radio and TV stations connect to local authorities and carry alert information concerning the community.  You see this as text "crawlers" that appear on the bottom of TV screens, or hear it as spot announcements on radio.


http://www.scd.state.hi.us/EAS/EAS_State.htm


 http://www.scd.state.hi.us/EAS/EAS_wireline.html

3. Civil Defense Sirens

One way to flag attention for the Emergency Alert System is the use of civil defense sirens.  These are often activated by the civil defense authorities, with another activation panel located at the local county warning point.  Upon receiving an immediate alert, the warning point or civil defense agency can activate the sirens in conjunction with public broadcasts distributed through the EAS.

There are two different alert tones.  One is a constant pitch, indicating the need to pay attention and tune to a broadcast radio or TV.  The second is a fluctuating, warbling tone indicating the need to take immediate action.  It is used primarily to signal an imminent enemy attack, but could be used to notify of an equally pressing situation such as a hazardous materials release.

3. Emergency Management Warning Networks

In addition to the alert & warning networks for the general public, there are warning networks for emergency management agencies.  These are the common ones.
1. NAWAS (National Warning System)

The Federal Government maintains a national wireline phone network connecting the warning points in each state called NAWAS.  It's chief operations is at the National Warning Center at the Cheyenne Mountain Complex in Colorado.  It's purpose is to inform and coordinate alert information amongst states in a given region.  Typically, it's primary purpose is to serve as notification in case of enemy attack, however, during peace time, it carries alerts on tsunamis and other wide ranging emergencies.  Roll call check-ins are taken periodically during the day to ensure that the phone circuits are fully operational.
2. State-wide Warning Systems - HAWAS (Hawaii Warning System)

Similar to NAWAS, county warning points throughout the state are tied into a State-wide alert and warning network  It is known by different names in each state.  For example, in Hawaii, it's HAWAS.  In California, it's CALWAS.

In Hawaii, HAWAS connects the warning points in each island county, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the local National Weather Service Forecast Office and the Hawaii Air National Guard's 199th Fighter (interceptor) Squadron, 154th Wing, stationed at Hickam Air Force Base.  It keeps these key entities informed on a real-time basis of bulletins cruicial to these agencies.  The warning systems in other states are similar.

3. Tsunami Warning System

A national and international network of warning points are connected together to provide timely exchange of tsunami warning information.  In the United States, it's known as the Tsunami Warning System (TWS).  There are regional operating centers in Honolulu, Hawaii (Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, Ewa Beach) and Palmer, Alaska (Alaska Tsunami Warning Center) that handle assessment and warnings for US interests in the Pacific (Hawaiian and Pacific Islands) and the Alaskan/West Coast regions respectively.  Information products are relayed to dissemination agencies, which in turn relay the information further to a wide range of government, civil defense, military, and international tsunami research/warning points within each country or area.
4. Earthquakes

The U.S. Geological Survey operates the National Earthquake Information Center located in Golden, Colorado.  The NEIC issues rapid reports for those earthquakes which register at least 4.5 on the Richter Scale in the United States, or 6.5 on the Richter Scale (or are known to have caused damage) anywhere else in the world.

1. How will I know?

As an amateur radio emergency communicator, you should register with the amateurs associated with RACES, Civil Defense (or Office of Emergency Management) and ARES and make arrangements to be available for alert and activation.  Typically, two or more amateurs serving as liaisons with CD RACES are on pager notification by the CD agency.  The pagers and/or telephone voice message are typically activated by a computerized group-call paging/notification system activated by the CD communications officer using a touch tone telephone control code.  Other similar automated or manual notfication system may be in use in your county.

Once these amateurs are notified, a number of alert mechanisms can be used.  A common one is to disseminate the alert/notification via a pager and/or telephone tree.  The pager code may indicate the six digit frequency of a local repeater, followed by a three digit action code (ie, 911 for an emergency, 000 for test).  Some groups use a two tone paging signal on a local repeater with wide coverage, activating commercial voice pagers that have been modified to monitor the amateur radio repeater.

Once the activation notice has been sent to check into the local command repeater, an NCS establishes a check-in net while the ICS communications command team establishes themselves.  The operation teams are expected to activate and respond according to their normal response plan.  The command team will issue bulletin statements for the net as needed, directing and fine tuning the activation.  They will cancel the alert as needed should the situation warrant it.

If the situation is weather or tsunami-related, amateurs can also monitor NOAA NWR for information direct from the National Weather Service.

You can find out more by contacting the Civil Defense office in your state:   http://www.fema.gov/fema/statedr.htm
 

2. Setup and initial operation in an emergency

If you are responding to another location, as you get on site, ask for the person in charge and introduce yourself as the emergency communicator assigned to serve that location.  The person-in-charge will be busy, so spend only a moment explaining that you would like to set up a communications station for that location, and to ask where he/she would like the located.  Be prepared to suggest an appropriate location -- one that can serve an an operating table and message desk; has feedline access to the window, outdoor or roof; access to power and telephone, and is away from the command center to avoid commotion from disturbing either the command or communications center.

Move your equipment, battery and power cords into position.  Hopefully, you've arrived as a team of two or more, so that a person can start setting up while the other person is ferrying some of the equipment in.  The priority would be to set up a 2m mobile station to establish essential contact with the net.  If you have a 2m radio, microphone and power cord pre-wired and stored in a small duffle bag along with a magnetic mount antenna, lift it out, set it on the table, screw in the antenna and power (AC switching power supply or 12 volt RV battery), and being operations.  Test the equipment for proper SWR, then check into the net.  Use the lowest power setting that produces reliable contact.  Since you're operating in an unfamiliar environment, resist the temptation to run high power, which could possibly damage your radio due to high VSWR or cause local interference into nearby equipment.  Use the 2m radio to check on the progress of others responding to your location.

Proceed to set up the scanner, then HF, packet and other stations.  As more of your communications setup becomes operational you can check into other nets and begin compiling a list of stations that are reachable directly or via a relay station.

1. Paperwork required at the site


These are some of the things you should have with you when you operate in the field:
 

• Outgoing message forms or sheets to compose messages.
• Incoming message forms or sheets to copy and log messages.  Often, you'll copy the message onto scratch paper, then transcribe it cleanly onto the incoming message form.
• Log sheets to log incoming and outgoing messages.
• Notepad for writing notes.
• 3M Post-its for annotating items.
2. Long term operation

If you expect to operate from the location for a period of time, establish a message filing system so that you can retrieve the message as needed.  Some of the "portable office" type that can hold several hanging folders and has a tray on top for pencils, a mini-stapler, scissors and scotch tape would be very useful to organize and file the messages.

You should also look for and establish a break area, rest room facilities and a sleeping area.
 

3. Notification of shutdown

The notification for shutting down operations may be given over the air by the NCS or bulletin station.  The shutdown is usually preceded by notices given a heads up stating that shutdown of operations is coming.  Notifications can be supplemented via alpha pager and telephone tree networks.
4. Shutdown and cleanup

Upon receiving notice of a shutdown, the station should begin securing the messages, the message desk, equipment and other materials.
5. Debriefing

As part of the after action debriefing, the following things should be noted:
• Notes should be jotted down, especially those noting at what time critical events occured.  It is useful in the port-mortem analysis to determine timeframes for activation, setup, transit, etc.
• Note what happened.
• Note who was around.  In case there are questions, you will know who to contact for further information.
• Note the hours of operation.
• Note what was accomplished.  Often, the list of accomplishments need to be related to those who weren't there at the scene/operating location.
• Note what's pending.  If there were unfinished items, note them so that someone else can follow-up.
• Note what was good.  Jot down the things that went well.  Often, in the heat of the moment, we forget that there were things that worked in our favor.
• Note what needed improvement.  This is fairly easy to note, as we remember easily the items we struggled with the most.
• Thank those who turned out and were involved.  Even a simple verbal thank you goes a long way, compared to hearing not a single word.  Make sure you make it a point to thank those around you and your family for letting you get the job done.