1. The Kalamazoo County Amateur Radio Emergency
Service will provide
an on-call team to deploy and operate the Avcom
Mobile Communications Center (MCC).
Each on-call team consists of at
least 6 licensed and specially trained amateur radio
operators (Elements). Deployment procedures
for an emergency response
are contained in this document.
A. Avcom will be deployed when requested by a public
safety agency, hospital,
or the Red Cross, provided the request meets the
criteria specified
in the Avcom mission statement.
B. The first team member to receive a request for
the MCC will contact the
other team members. A determination as to whether the request
is valid will be made
by the team members at this time.
C. One team member (Element 1) will be responsible
for contacting the requesting agency. If the request is valid
per the mission statement,
he/she will then obtain preliminary deployment information. After
completing this assignment,
Element 1 will report to the Avcom quarters to
assist with the
deployment of the MCC. If Element 1 is unavailable, the member
initially contacted by the requesting agency
becomes responsible for obtaining
the required preliminary information.
D. After receiving a deployment request, two
members of the team (Elements 2 and 3) will
respond to the MCC to
begin preparations for its departure.
E. After obtaining the preliminary information, Element
1 will respond to the
MCC to assist Elements 2 and 3. Element
1 will give Element 6 a copy of any preliminary deployment
information.
F. The Advance Team consists of Elements 4
and 5. The advance team
will receive deployment instructions from Element 1.
The advance team will then proceed directly
to the intended destination
for the MCC. The advance team will then advise the Emergency Coordinator
whether the MCC will actually be necessary. The advance team also
will inquire as to whether a MSP Flash Report
has been filed by the requesting agency.
G. Team member (Element 6) will report to the Kalamazoo
County Emergency Operations
Center's radio room, in order to provide logistical
and communications support for the rest of the team
members. Element 6 will also create a duty
roster of net control stations (if needed) to support the deployment.
Element 6 may also make contact with the local chapter of the
American Red Cross and request they set up a feeding center to
support our operation.
H. Element 1 will follow the MCC and tow vehicle to
the destination. Communications will be maintained
on frequencies assigned
by Element 6 at the KCEOC.
I. After arriving at the destination, the advance team will
maintain communications with the rest of the
team. The advance team will also provide solutions to the logistical
problems that will be encountered during the arrival and setup
of the MCC.
J. The advance team will report the arrival of the
MCC to Element 6 at the
Kalamazoo County EOC. Element 6 will then telephone the
requesting agency and advise them of the arrival
of the MCC. After the immediate communications
needs are met, the advance
team members will contact radio relief operators and advise
them of the situation.
K. Maximum staffing may not always be possible. Should
this occur, the advance
team members or the EOC radio operator may be
reassigned as needed.
Quick Summary of Responsibilities
Element#1. Contact the requesting agency to obtain preliminary information. Assist
with the transportation of the Avcom
MCC. Follow Avcom in personal vehicle.
Element#2. Respond to
the Avcom quarters. Pick up tow vehicle if necessary.
Element#3. Same as 2.
Element#4. Receive deployment
instructions from element 1 and respond directly to destination.
Element#5. Same as 4.
Element#6. Obtain preliminary information from Element 1. Report to the Kalamazoo
County EOC radio room. Start a mission support net
if necessary.