25151 Clawiter Rd
Hayward, CA 94545
11 August 1995
The material in this document may be copied and distributed free of charge by Radio Amateurs, public service organizations, and public agencies for the purpose of enhancing emergency communications.
City of Hayward R.A.C.E.S. Emergency Communications Manual
1995 Edition, version 1.0
Copyright City of Hayward, CA and Terry Taylor, 1995.
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47CFR97.1Basis and purpose.
The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles:
(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary non-commercial communications service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
In its 1989 revision of part 97, the FCC included an entire section, subpart E, on providing emergency communications.
47CFR97.401 Operation during a disaster. (a) When normal communication systems are overloaded, damaged or disrupted because a disaster has occurred, or is likely to occur, in an area where the amateur service is regulated by the FCC, an amateur station may make transmissions necessary to meet essential communication needs and facilitate relief actions.
47CFR97.403 Safety of life and protection of property. No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radio communication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
Our technical skills, organization, and equipment give us a unique capability to serve our society in emergency situations. Our public service efforts are well known and appreciated by many civil and volunteer public agencies, and help us retain access to significant segments of the radio frequency spectrum. This manual outlines the efforts of the City of Hayward R.A.C.E.S. (Radio Amateur Emergency Services) to provide emergency communications.
City of Hayward R.A.C.E.S. Organization
R.A.C.E.S. in the City of Hayward operates under the supervision
of the City Office of Emergency Services, which is under the Fire
Department. The R.A.C.E.S. program is also closely aligned with
the Hayward Radio Club (an A.R.R.L. (American Radio Relay League)
Special Service Club)). All Hayward R.A.C.E.S. members are also
expected to be enrolled in the A.R.R.L.'s A.R.E.S. (Amateur Radio
Emergency Service) program. (Membership in the A.R.R.L. or the
Hayward Radio Club is encouraged, but not required).
The Hayward R.A.C.E.S. program is composed of 2 types of volunteers:
Level I volunteers have all necessary documentation completed and on file to include:
Level I volunteers are expected to attend at least 75% of the scheduled monthly meetings and 50% of scheduled drills.
Level I volunteers will be the first to be called in any activation.
Level I volunteers are the only members that can be certified to operate the city Comm Van or assigned to any regular position.
Level I volunteers are the only members that will be issued any city owned equipment.
Level I volunteers are the only members that will be issued a city photo identification card.
Level II volunteers have all necessary documentation completed and on file to include:
Level II volunteers are those individuals who have signed up to work in an emergency, but who do not wish to commit the time necessary for Level I status.
Level II volunteers will remain as inactive R.A.C.E.S. members, to be called upon only in major events.
Level II volunteers are expected to keep the R.A.C.E.S. staff advised of any changes in their status and or contact information.
All potential members of R.A.C.E.S. are required by state law to fill out a Disaster Service Worker Registration form, pass a background check and sign a loyalty oath.
After acceptance, members will be assigned to either "Level I" or "Level II" status, based upon their preference. Level I volunteers will then begin their training program. Upon completion of the training program, members will be photographed for an ID card and issued any appropriate equipment.
Level II volunteers will be entered into the volunteer database for possible callout for major operations. Level II volunteers may apply for Level I status at any time and upon successful completion of training will be certified as Level I status.
The staff of the Hayward R.A.C.E.S. follows the following structure:
The duties of the Radio Officer are:
Supervision of the R.A.C.E.S. Staff and Members
Direct Liaison with the City of Hayward O.E.S.
Primary Operational Command of R.A.C.E.S. Staff in any Drill or Event
Liaison with other Amateur Radio emergency communications organizations.
Assistant Radio Officer
The duties of the Assistant Radio Officer are:
To assume the duties of the Radio Officer in the event that the Radio Officer is unavailable.
Liaison with the Alameda County Hospital Amateur Radio Network
Other duties and special projects as may be assigned by the radio officer
Training Officer
The duties of the Training Officer are:
To develop and publish a training schedule.
To conduct or arrange for any training that may be necessary.
To coordinate the training of all new members.
To function as a de-facto safety officer for all R.A.C.E.S. activities.
To assume the duties of the Assistant Radio Officer in the event that the Assistant Radio Officer is unavailable.
Net Control Station
The duties of the Net Control Station are:
To develop and publish a net schedule.
To conduct or arrange for the conducting of scheduled nets.
To ensure that the Hayward R.A.C.E.S. is represented on the Alameda County Emergencies Services (A.C.E.S.) net.
To arrange for or function as a the default Net Control Station for all R.A.C.E.S. activities.
To assume the duties of the Training Officer in the event that the Training Officer is unavailable.
Resources
Equipment
City Equipment
Mobile Communications Vehicle (CommVan 3691)
The City has a 1974 Chevrolet bubble top-van. The van is kept outside of Fire Station #1. The Comm Van's Tactical Call Sign on all frequencies is "CommVan 3691".
The van contains complete Public Safety radios for all of the frequencies allocated to the City of Hayward along with Amateur radios for 2 meters, 1.25 meters (222 MHz) and 70 cm. It also contains an emergency power generator. The van is available for use by both the city and by members of R.A.C.E.S. and is likely to be used heavily in an emergency. All Level 1 members are encouraged to use the van and become familiar with the equipment.
The van can be operated by any Level 1 member with a class C driver's license, after the member has been checked out on the vehicle operation by a designated trainer.
IMPORTANT!
While the comm van is equipped with a forward facing red light and a siren, it is NOT considered by the city to be an emergency vehicle and will NOT be operated by any R.A.C.E.S. member with the red light and/or siren in operation ("Code 3").
The equipment in the Comm Van is:
Public Safety Radios Radio CH Agency Name Frequency
Amateur Radios
Radio CH Name Frequency Offset
Hayward Radio Club Equipment
The Hayward R.A.C.E.S. has access to the following equipment through
it's association with the Hayward Radio Club:
Radio Band(s)
Equipment Each Member Should Have
Mobile and handheld VHF FM transceivers are the most versatile
and useful radios for local emergencies. Each member should have
at least one such rig for 145 MHz. For handheld radios, alkaline
battery packs and cables and connectors which allow the HT to
run from car batteries provide the most reliable means of power
for long term emergencies. Rechargeable (Ni-Cad) batteries, while
economical for daily use, are not dependable for operation during
extended loss of commercial power.
The American Radio Relay League's Field Services Department recommends a standard connector for 12 volt power cables. This standard has been adopted by R.A.C.E.S./A.R.E.S. in Alameda and Santa Clara County as of July 1991.
It is a two-conductor molded nylon polarized connector with 2.4 mm (0.093 inch) pins.
Molex part numbers for shells without chassis mount ears are:
female=03-09-2022; male=03-09-1022;
male pins= 02-09-2103; female pins= 02-09-1103.
Note: This connector set is rated for 8 amps.
Pin extractor is Waldom package #HT-2038 (part number 11-03-0006). The Radio Shack catalog number for a pair with chassis mount ears, including pins, is 274-222.
The power is supplied on the male shell with female pins. The radio (or other 12V load) has the female shell with male pins. The negative pin is on the flat side of the connector, positive on the pointed side. It is strongly recommended that all members use these connectors for 12V radios and power sources, so that equipment can be shared during an emergency.
Caution:
This is the same connector, but with reversed polarity, of the old SVECS standard. Check the polarity before using someone else's power source.
Note:
There is also a heavier duty version (rated at 20 amps) of this connector which looks physically the same, but is larger. This connector is used in the communications vehicle and adapters to the smaller connector are located in the vehicle. Members are encouraged to have adapters to and from both sizes of this connector.
Since high level repeaters may be out of commission, members should be prepared to get the best simplex range from their radios. The most efficient way to increase the range of an HT is to attach a good antenna.
One-half wave antennas make a good choice for direct support on the HT; J-pole antennas are useful for quick attachment to trees or fences; and magnetic mounts can be placed on cars or filing cabinets. Some coaxial cable will allow the antenna to be placed in a good location.
Co-ax adapters, BNC to UHF, etc. will allow one member's radio to be used with another's antenna, and the roof antennas which have been installed in most hospitals and some other public buildings in Alameda county.
An earphone or headphones are essential for working in noisy environments. They also keep the radio from contributing to the noise and confusion in the area.
You might consider collecting your emergency radio gear in an old backpack or in Rubbermaid stackable plastic waterproof bins. This way you are set to go at a moment's notice.
The uniform consists of a white, short sleeve "aviator" style shirt with epaulets and 2 flap pockets. The City of Hayward O.E.S. patch is worn on the left sleeve 1/2" below the shoulder seam. A white background/red lettering name tag (see example) is worn centered directly above the right pocket. The shirt is worn with black or dark blue work trousers (not "blue-jean" type pants) and dark shoes or boots.
Additionally, a yellow outer jacket has been designated for wear with the uniform.
Subject to availability, the city may issue uniform shirts and yellow wind breakers to Level I members.
Optional Uniform Items
One additional patch may be worn on the right sleeve of the uniform shirt. Acceptable patches are:
Members (Level I or II) may also optionally wear a blue baseball type cap with or without the R.A.C.E.S. or A.R.E.S. patch, with or without their call sign on the visor.
Example Name Tag
The Hayward Radio Club has about 70 members.
The Hayward R.A.C.E.S. will draw it's membership first from the radio club and then from the Hayward Amateur Radio population at large.
Table of Contents
Frequencies
Efficient use of frequencies is essential in a widespread emergency.
Frequency assignments are given in MHz.
Primary Operating Frequencies/
The following policy shall govern repeaters operated by the Hayward Radio Club.
Under routine conditions, the repeaters are open and guests are welcome. When a directed net is in session for public service events, net control shall try to accommodate other routine traffic. Emergency or priority traffic may interrupt at any time.
When the Hayward Radio Club/Hayward R.A.C.E.S. is not using a repeater for a directed net or emergency traffic, local A.R.E.S./R.A.C.E.S. groups may immediately make use of the machine for emergency traffic or an emergency net when the need arises.
When the Hayward Radio Club/Hayward R.A.C.E.S. is using a repeater for a directed emergency net, net control shall accept traffic from other emergency response organizations as well. That is, the frequency will be shared.
A request for exclusive or primary use of a repeater by another organization will be handled by the Net Control Station.
Training/Planning
The Emergency Communications Committee
The Emergency Communications Committee (ECC) shall consist of
the R.A.C.E.S. staff and other such members as shall be appointed
by the Radio Officer. The Radio Officer shall function as the
chair of the ECC.
The ECC shall revise and update this document and distribute copies to all members annually.
The ECC chairperson will work with City of Hayward O.E.S. management personnel to coordinate planning and establish the Hayward R.A.C.E.S. as a part of the disaster plans for the City of Hayward
.
The chairperson will be the primary coordinator of emergency response for the Hayward R.A.C.E.S..
The chairperson shall have the authority to allocate all resources of Hayward R.A.C.E.S. during an emergency, consistent with established policies.
All members of the ECC shall have a copy of the member roster
readily available at all times (at home, work, in car, etc.) for
activation and coordination of emergency net activities. They
shall all be prepared to assume Net Control responsibility at
short notice, and shall practice by serving as Net Control for
the Hayward R.A.C.E.S. Monday night net, or similar net, at least
twice per year.
Weekly Net
Hayward R.A.C.E.S. holds a net each Monday evening at 1930 hrs
PM local time on the Hayward Radio Club (K6EAG) 2 Meter repeater
(145.130 (-.600)).
The net is used for announcements of activities, and for the exchange
of information between members. The net also provides practice
for net control operation and participation in a directed net.
All members are encouraged to act as Net Control Station. If
you are interested, check in to the net and ask for information
on being net control.
City of Hayward Drills
The Hayward R.A.C.E.S. will participate in any emergency exercise
or training drill when invited to do so by the person in charge
of the exercise. While participating in any drill, members should
simulate their emergency communications response as outlined in
this manual, whether or not they have been specifically asked
to do so. Stations will announce the drill status as part of all
traffic.
Amateur Radio Field Day is a national exercise in which groups practice their ability to establish communications under simulated emergency conditions.
It is usually held the fourth weekend in June. Field day is a contest in which each station tries to contact as many other stations as possible during a 24 hour period. Most participating stations are operated with portable equipment and from non-commercial power sources such as gasoline powered generators.
Hayward R.A.C.E.S. participates in Field Day each year. We operate the Communications Van from a location other than its usual parking space, using portable generators. This exercise gives us practice in taking down, moving, and setting up the station, and provides for a thorough check of the equipment. All members are encouraged to participate, and guests are welcome.
On those days deemed by the Hayward Fire Department to be periods of "Critical Fire Danger", the Hayward R.A.C.E.S. may be called upon to provide a fire watch/patrol in the hill area. The operational plans and maps for this fire patrol are stored in CommVan 3691. Each alerting officer (and members of the Emergency Communications Committee) will also have copies of the plan.
Activation for this patrol will normally be from the shift Captain at station #5. The Captain will contact the R.A.C.E.S. Alerting Officer who will then arrange for R.A.C.E.S. members to staff the CommVan for the patrol. Ideally, all shifts should be composed of 2 members and should last no longer than 4 hours. In the event that the critical fire danger may extend beyond 4 hours, it is the duty of the alerting officer to ensure the availability of a relief crew.
Amateur radio emergency communications are provided by hams associated with local A.R.E.S./R.A.C.E.S. organizations.
A.R.E.S. (pronounced "air-rees") stands for Amateur Radio Emergency Service.
R.A.C.E.S. (pronounced "ray-sees") stands for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.
In the past, A.R.E.S. has represented local (e.g., city) groups that were called into action during limited emergencies or large-scale natural disasters while R.A.C.E.S. responded to emergencies that were declared by civil authorities. The distinction between which group responds to what has blurred a bit insofar as either may be called out for such emergencies as earthquakes, wildland fires, or floods. In the event of an declaration of war however, only amateur radio operators holding membership in R.A.C.E.S. will be allowed to continue operating.
Note: The City of Hayward O.E.S. has recognized and encouraged dual membership in A.R.E.S. and R.A.C.E.S. but many other cities and counties in the California consider A.R.E.S. and R.A.C.E.S. as separate entities and therefore require separate membership.
In addition to working with community officials during times of emergency, A.R.E.S. operators may provide communications for such local events as: emergency-preparedness drills, marathons and walkathons, bike races, siren tests, air shows, parades, etc. One of the most effective ways in which hams can become trained for amateur radio emergency communications is through participation in public service events. The Hayward Radio Club is regularly involved in such activities which may or may not be viewed as R.A.C.E.S. or A.R.E.S. functions.
Rather than duplicate this training and organizational activity, Hayward R.A.C.E.S. strongly encourages each of its members to join and become active in these local A.R.E.S. organizations. They are our primary source of training for emergency communications.
The City of Hayward has a thorough, well thought out Disaster Plan (Management Operations Plan (MOP)), in which the R.A.C.E.S. program plays a major part.
In order to provide public service during emergencies, we must be prepared. During emergencies the well-being of our families is our first priority. Since it is not clear that we may be physically able to join with our families in an emergency, it seems wise to prepare our families to be as self-sufficient as possible.
The emergency may be only due to high winds and storms which take
out the electricity. It may be DAYS before the electricity is
back on in your home if it is a severe and wide spread storm.
The other extreme might be a severe earthquake in which you may
not be able to re-enter your home for days.
Essential Supplies
Food supply
A two week supply is often recommended. Canned goods require
no refrigeration and some require little water for preparation.
Most canned goods have at least a 12 month shelf life.
Water
Seven gallons per person is recommended for a two week supply.
Water in undamaged water heaters, toilet storage tanks and ice
cubes are also good sources.
Chlorine bleach (5% sodium hypochlorite)
Keep on hand a quart for water purification. Use 4 drops of bleach
in a gallon of CLEAR water. If the water is CLOUDY use 10 drops
in a gallon.
Radio
Listen on 740 KHz, or to any Emergency Broadcasting Station.
A battery operated AM radio with a supply of batteries is recommended.
Car radios may also serve this need.
Flashlights
Keep extra batteries. Shelf life of batteries is extended by
storing in a refrigerator, but DON'T FREEZE! Wrap in plastic
to keep moisture from building up.
Slow-burning candles
Use with caution! Some emergencies may produce explosive fumes.
Special Foods and medications
Have extra supplies when such items are required by your family.
Eating utensils
A two week supply of paper plates, cups, plastic utensils and
bowls
Can opener
A manual (non-electrical) can opener.
Waste can
A metal waste can with cover to store human waste until facilities
are restored. Keep a supply of plastic bag liners to fit the
waste can.
First Aid/C.P.R.
Have a basic first aid kit and Red Cross first aid Handbook. Training
and certification in First Aid and C.P.R. is highly encouraged.
Extra Blankets and Sleeping Bags
If an overnight and/or prolonged stay is anticipated.
Firewood and kindling
If appropriate
Fire extinguishers
All R.A.C.E.S./A.R.E.S. members should have an ABC type fire extinguisher
readily available in their automobile.
Table of Contents
Emergency Action Plan
Activation
Whenever it becomes obvious that a local emergency exists or may
exist, such as after an earthquake, heavy rain or wind, etc.,
all operators should listen on the primary R.A.C.E.S. frequencies
(145.13, 444.825) or on the AlCo (Alameda County) R.A.C.E.S. resource
net frequency (147.240).
If no NET is in progress, any operator who is aware that an emergency situation does exist should assume net control responsibility (become NCS) and act accordingly.
The Hayward frequencies will be used primarily for the first check in and to respond to emergencies involving City of Hayward property.
Otherwise, all members should make themselves available for assignment by AlCo R.A.C.E.S. resource net control.
Any command officer of the Hayward Fire Department may activate an amateur radio emergency net by one or more of the following:
Telephone: call made to a R.A.C.E.S. officer/member of the Emergency Communications Committee, who will then make calls to activate a sufficient number of operators.
Emergency Communications Committee
NAME CALL WORK PHONE HOME PHONE PAGER _________________________ ______ ____________ ____________ ____________ Taylor, Terry N6MON xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx McBrayer, Dave N6OJJ xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx Flusche, Tony AB6BR xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx Altig, Russ KC6XKM xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx Musselman, Chris AB6DI xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx xxx-xxx-xxxx
Shift Supervisor
For any large or extended emergency, the ECC chairperson shall
act as or appoint a shift supervisor to manage the emergency communication
activities during each shift.
The shift supervisor has the responsibility to monitor the overall situation, both within Hayward and the surrounding community, and must avoid becoming busy with details of specific activities. He/she shall be guided by the policies established by this document, the R.A.C.E.S. D.O.G., the Alameda County Instant Trainer and by instructions from the ECC chairperson.
The shift supervisor shall:
<"control">Net Control
The primary responsibilities of the Net Control Station are to
insure orderly and efficient communication on the frequency, and
to service requests for communication in a prioritized order.
NCS will assign radio operators to locations and tasks which
will best provide for passing of emergency traffic. In a large
disaster, separate nets will be needed for assignment of resources
and for passing of emergency traffic.
The NCS has the responsibility of acknowledging all requests. Stations should not re-request traffic unless new developments require a change in priority or it becomes apparent that NCS needs a reminder.
Checklist
The specific assignments and actions required will depend on the
size and type of emergency in progress. The following is a list
of possible NCS actions.
Emergency Net Procedures
Tactical Call Signs
NCS may designate tactical call signs by which stations should
identify themselves. These will usually be the location of the
assignment, or the agency involved. Examples: Net Control, CommVan
3691, Kaiser Hayward, etc.
These tactical call signs should be used consistently from a given location, even as operators change. Use of tactical call signs does not satisfy the FCC requirement to identify with the FCC issued call sign. Thus each station should also identify with FCC call sign at the end of a series of transmissions, and every ten minutes in between.
Classification of traffic
Emergency:
Any message having life and death urgency to any person or group of persons. This includes official messages of welfare agencies during emergencies requesting supplies, materials or instructions vital to relief of stricken populace in emergency areas. When in doubt, do not use this designation.
Priority:
Important message having a specific time limit. Official messages not covered in Emergency category. Communication to or from key public officials which will be useless if not delivered shortly.
Welfare or Inquiry:
Information as to the health and welfare of an individual in the disaster area.
Routine:
Less urgent than the above, but still important to the emergency communications operation. Other traffic will be passed only as time permits.
Certain locations within the City of Hayward have been pre-designated as specific Disaster Reporting Locations. R.A.C.E.S. personnel with pre-arranged duties should report to their designated reporting location upon activation.
Emergency Communicator Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of the radio operator will be to pass traffic, and to report conditions or requested information to NCS. Whenever possible, the message should be obtained in writing from the responsible official, with signature and destination. Otherwise, before trying to pass the traffic, the operator should write out the message, beginning with destination and ending with name and title of the person who originated it. The written copy is kept as part of the log of events. (If the radio operator has been designated as a "shadow" for a disaster official/worker it is always best for the R.A.C.E.S. operator to establish contact and then allow the shadowed disaster official/worker to use the radio to transmit the information.)
Appendix
Emergency equipment locations
CommVan 3691
Located behind Fire Station #1, corner of C and Main Streets
Homelite Model 190432
Amateur Bands
Manufacturer Model Number Serial Number
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