Amateur Radio during Emergencies


by Larry M. Keeran K9ORP

You are going to learn who the ARES has contact with during emergencies. You will be able to communicate safely with them and other members of the Amateur emergency teams.

The procedures we are using are those that will work today and twenty years from now.

I will develope the picture starting with preparedness; equipment through what you should be ready for in each emergency situation. Handouts will have the details which you can study the exact procedures. We will concentrate on our role as communicators.

We will cover what we need to accomplish our role safely and cooperatively. A lot more details are possible; forest fires, rock/ice climbs, volcano and lava flow but not for this class.

My concept of emergency planning is that it should be flexible and not have to rely on a Procedures Manual. It's a good chance that you will have it in safe keeping and not with you during the time of need. What we do exactly is limited only to a very few procedures that have to be done.

So as I am describing our tasks, think about it.

I'll pass out the outline now. And the preliminary test.

Most of the time you will only need your skills as an Amateur. The procedures that you use should be a natural response. Of course the charts and exact forms don't have to be. Amateurs have a skill that comes from assembling pieces of equipment and knowing the whole communications picture from radio communication to verbal communication. What I mean is we know how to tell that the radio signals get there and how to verify the message got there. We know to follow the directions that we were taught. We get our directions from the McLean County ESDA and as Amateur Radio Emergency Service rarely operate outside of that agency. Our knowledge of other agencies allow us to interface with them while allowing for their responsibility.

If an emergency takes place, use your training to provide assistance in keeping with your own skills. Use the steps necessary to activate a net using standard procedures if necessary.

Preparedness

-- General

- General Identification

General Identification and knowledge is the key to the successful volunteer. Volunteers is what you are. You are an Amateur. Your expertise today is communication. That is what we will concentate on. Our safety; each of us first then our team then the community served.

Our professionism is the most important. The knowledge of not just what we do but what other agencies do. The crdentials that we carry are hard to represent in a representable form. We have to use a form that is authoritive and adaptable. That form is the ARES card. Always carry it.

- Chain of command during an operation is:

- McLean County ESDA

- Emergency Coordinator

- Assistant Emergency Coordinator(s)

- Know your equipment

How to tune, lighted dial, freq easily locateable, power level, battery life, how to charge it from any source

- Know your geographical area

What I want you to know is how to be evasive, not to get trapped on dead-end roads.

We use the county road coordinates and the triangularization of sighting to determine the position of an tornado - town names, State and Federal Highways are permissible identifiers.

- Accuracy

Don't guess, facts, or say "about" or "approximate", Don't say "that guy" said, "Nurse Jones" or "Fireman Smith" or "Trooper 6-19" said is best.

- Phraseiology

Common language, assume everyone can hear (while on 2M), contractions are problem areas "can't" sounds like "can", "GO" = "NO", have been told "Please repeat" = "received","QSL" is same as "acknowledged"

- Speaking on microphones

refer to "know your equipment", how sensitive is the mic, backround noise, wind, talk across it, don't yell, be brief, unkey frequently

- Information source

The order of priority from the beginning of a call up; If a storm, tune to NWS Weather Station 162.475, 162.400. McLean County ESDA 453.700 command and control frequency. Amateur Radio Emergency Service repeater 146.79 primary Central Illinois Radio Club repeater 146.94 backup

If caught without a rig, tune to WJBC AM 1230.

- First Aid

Take a course in basic first aid. You may find yourself with minor injurys and no one to help you. A course in CPR will help also.

- Self sufficient

Always plan to be self sufficient. The time that you organize your belongings and equipment now will help in the event you have to relocate fast. Think how you can live (out of a backpack - let's say) for 3 days providing your own food and personal items. Try to have drinking water for 24 hours.

-- Storms

- The severe weather training for recognizing tornadoes and thunderstorms is held each Spring by the ESDA office. (March 20th, 1996 at L&J Center) The biggest killer is floods.

Ask, find out, know where the largest threat is.

Don't leave home if emminant danger.

Probability-
South-West corner. Rain-free base. Large hail because it is built by the same height that produces tornadoes.

Binoculars, maps, (phone book), baggies (believe it or not RF passes thru plastic) for HT's, and garbage bags for emergency raincoats. Coat your papers with plastic for durability and waterproofness. Wind proof them also.

Flashlights should be dimmable to prevent ruining your night vision during storm watches.

If you are going to spot, get away from city lights.

Watch for flooded streets.

Look at the AR_CLASS_THUNDERSTORMS handout

Look at the AR_CLASS_TORNADOES handout

Look at the AR_CLASS_FLOODS handout

Look at the NOAA Storm Spotter's Guide

Look at the McLean County ESDA brochures.

-- Snow

- Lower battery life, keep spare batteries close to your body, count on less then 1/2 of rated battery life. If stranded and sub freezing, remember that the base of a tree is the warmest place around. (the snow melts there first) If you had to, you could build a lean to there and cover it with snow.

Our normal landmarks are whited out therefore you should not plan on traveling away from your car. You won't be able to direct rescue to your own location.

Look at the AR_CLASS_WINTER handout

-- Radiation

- We will use the standard guideline that we will not knowingly go into a hazardeous area. What we need to know is in the manuals provided. The milli-rhentken exposure reading and time that you can be there.

Look at the AR_CLASS_RADIOLOGICAL handout

Look at the AR_CLASS_NUCLEAR POWER handout

-- HazMat

- We will use the standard guideline that we will not knowingly go into a hazardeous area. Our training is to be familiar with the warning signs on the handout and avoid that area.

Look at the AR_CLASS_HMA handout