By Doug Stinson
The April 29th BayNet CERT drill demonstrated
that radio communications, when integrated into CERT operations, greatly
improves our ability to respond effectively in the event of a disaster.
It also stimulated CERT members to formalize an organization to support
those within the districts on whose shoulders the responsibility for emergency
communication will fall.
During the drill, 29 CERT members
who also have their Amateur Radio (HAM) licenses worked relaying requests
for support from search and rescue teams to their district’s Incident Command
and from Incident Command to the Fire Department’s Field Operation Center
(FOC). Through these communications links, an accurate picture of the situation
resulting from the simulated magnitude 8.0 earthquake was obtained. This
allowed both volunteers and professionals alike to respond effectively
and safely.
The drill also demonstrated how different
volunteer organizations cooperate effectively during a disaster. The local
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) organization established what is
called a “directed net” to manage messages between the districts and a
central message center located at the Police Department. ARES also established
a radio link between a personal computer at the Police Department and one
at the Fire Department FOC. This is called “packet radio”. Messages from
the districts were entered intro the computer, transmitted to the Fire
Department, printed out and delivered to the appropriate individual.
Each district organized its own internal communications
systems. This began with each District Coordinator appointing a District
Communications Officer. The Communication Officer recruited Hams and established
basic procedures on the day of the drill. All districts appointed a Ham
radio operator from their ranks to exchange messages between the district’s
Incident Command Post and the citywide directed net. Most districts also
had a second Ham running a sub-net for communication between the command
post and the district’s search and rescue teams, for those teams equipped
with ham radios. The Irvington, Niles and Mission San Jose districts ran
sub-nets based on Family Service Radio, as well. Ardenwood experimented
with packet radio.
By all accounts, the drill was a resounding
success. Members of search and rescue teams reported that the addition
of radio communications to their teams significantly increased their effectiveness.
Fire Department officials commented on the quality of the effort by all
participants, but particularly those involved in communication. The fact
that requests and status reports from the districts were received by packet
radio, printed in triplicate, and delivered to the Fire Department’s FOC
added a certain patina of professionalism to the proceedings! According
to the Fire Department’s acting Division Chief Victor Valdes, “By incorporating
amateur radio into our city’s Disaster Management Operations plan we are
able to expand our response and reporting capabilities far beyond what
would be possible from our normal staffing for Fire and Police Departments.
The performance at the April 29, 2000 drill confirmed the tremendous service
that amateur radio can provide to their community in a disaster.”
Naturally, none of this could have happened
without advance preparation. Thanks are due to the District Communications
Officers Mike Wilson (Alvarado), Joe Peterson (Ardenwood), Brian Krause
(Centerville), Margaret Edgelow (Decoto), Jim Lewis (Irvington), Douglas
Stinson (Mission San Jose), Rudi Wiedemann (Niles), and Ken Thomas (Warm
Springs). Many new CERT Hams received their training in emergency communications
procedures through a series of presentations by Mike Fung, Ray Wong, Joe
Peterson, Nancy Peterson, Brian Krause and David Ward.
To capitalize on these successes and to provide
for even greater success in the future, the CERT Communication Team (or
CERT Comm for short) has been established. Anyone with a sincere interest
in emergency communications within CERT can become a member of CERT Comm
simply by participating in its activities. The officers of CERT Comm consist
of a Steering Committee comprised of the eight district communications
officers. A Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator, elected by and from
the voting membership at large, facilitate the activities of the steering
committee. At a May 10th organizing meeting Doug Stinson and Margaret Edgelow
were elected Coordinator and Assistant Coordinator, respectively. The Steering
Committee also has two non-voting members, Ray Wong, who helped bring CERT
Comm into existence and fills the role of “Past Coordinator”, and Mike
Fung, representing ARES.
I f you are a member of CERT and interested
in emergency communications, I invite you to contact me by e-mail at