Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications
Defining the Amateur Radio Response
Chippewa County, Michigan
March 4, 2006
Chippewa County ARES/RACES
Marv DeWitt, KC8MLD
Emergency Coordinator
(right) with Ron Peterka,
WA8OOH, AEC/ARO
Digital
Director Tim McKee
Office of Emergency
Services
(center)
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Chippewa County ARES/RACES
Prepared by:
Lyle Willette, AB8CB
Public Information Officer
(retired)
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PURPOSE:
• Review “Old” ARES and RACES
programs
• Introduce post 9/11 and Katrina
issues
• Explore training and certification
requirements
• Plan for changes in ARES/RACES
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“Old” ARES Program
• Amateur Radio Emergency Service
• Administered by ARRL
• Required only amateur radio license
and registration
• Good county and section
administration and organization
• Poor organization at the national
level
• Primarily composed of local 2-meter
nets; a few HF, QMN and NTS liaison
stations
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“Old” RACES Program
• Radio Amateur Civil Emergency
Service
• Developed during WWII
• Allowed EOC stations to continue to
operate during national security or
communications emergencies
• Directed by federal government
• Administered by state and local
emergency management agencies
• No standardization of training, skills
or equipment
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Post 9/11 Issues
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Post 9/11 Issues
• City EOC located at 7 World Trade
Center
• Lack of communications
interoperability for first responders
• Multiple sites/incidents (NYC,
Washington D.C., Pennsylvania)
• Local and state nets activated
• No national coordination of amateur
radio resources
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Post 9/11 Issues
• Wide variation in served agency
perceptions and use of amateur radio
resources
• Faced possible termination of all
amateur radio operations for national
security reasons; fortunately, no one
thought of it
• No national emergency response
plan for amateur radio
• Old ARES and RACES structure
precluded efficient use of amateur
radio resources
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Post Katrina…
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…and Rita Issues
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Post Katrina and Rita Issues
• Department of Homeland Security
established by now
• FEMA downsized as “duplicate
functions” assumed by other DHS
agencies
• Timely and accurate warnings
• First test of National Incident
Management system
• Failure to recognize the potential
devastation and loss of life
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Post Katrina and Rita Issues
• Massive loss of virtually all
infrastructure
• Few HF stations left in operation
• VHF, UHF networks destroyed
• VoIP links maintained via satellite
• Many trained and properly equipped
operators turned away, even in areas
with light or moderate damage
• No deployment plan or pre-staging of
amateur radio resources
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Post Katrina and Rita Issues
• Still no national amateur radio
emergency response plan
• Poor use of basic Incident
Management System concepts:
• Staging Areas
• Management of Resources
• Damage Assessment
• Attempted use of amateur radio
resource database (after the fact)
• ARES/RACES structures do not
reflect DHS mandated training
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Post Katrina and Rita Issues
• Other organizations worked tirelessly to assist emergency
responders that, due to the storm, did not have the
equipment and means to effectively carry out their duties.
Amateur Radio Operators from both the Amateur Radio
Emergency Service and the American Radio Relay League,
monitored distress calls and rerouted emergency requests
for assistance throughout the U.S. until messages were
received by emergency response personnel. A distress call
made from a cell phone on a rooftop in New Orleans to
Baton Rouge was relayed, via ham radio, from Louisiana to
Oregon, then Utah, and finally back to emergency
personnel in Louisiana, who rescued the 15 stranded
victims.11 Ham radio operators voluntarily manned the
amateur radio stations at sites such as the National
Hurricane Center, Hurricane Watch Net, Waterway Net,
Skywarn and the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio
Network.12
• - from “The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina”, The
White House
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A Quick Analysis
• Both ARES and RACES are outdated
• “Required” training and equipment
are determined at the local level
• Some counties have no program at
all (“We don’t need any amateurs in
an emergency!”)
• Some counties have outstanding
resources, but are unwilling to share
• Some reluctance still exists to
integrate NTS with EmComm
• No procedures exist for deployment
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Training and Certification
From the ARRL Letter:
“The Board also resolved to establish an
ad hoc ARRL National Emergency
Response Planning Committee "to
appropriately prepare for future largescale disasters." The panel will develop a
comprehensive recommendation for ARRL
responses to national, regional and
international disasters. The Board will
consider the recommendations at its 2007
annual meeting next January.”
Our issues are being addressed!
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Training and Certification
• ARRL Certification and Continuing
Education courses:
• Level 1, 2 and 3
• Digital Communications
• VHF/UHF Beyond the Repeater
• IS-100, 200, 700, 800
• ARES Handbook
• Public Service Communications
Manual
• Section and local products
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Training and Certification
• National Incident Management
System resource typing
• How do we identify an “Amateur Radio
Type 1 Unit”?
• How do we ensure that each unit
reflects common training, equipment,
duty cycle and interoperability?
• Much e-mail banter on the subject,
many are concerned.
• We must attempt to conform to
nationally accepted standards once
they are approved.
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Training and Certification
• Credentials
• Must be earned through training, testing
and demonstrated ability
• Must be accepted by local, state and
federal authorities
• Must allow access to appropriate sites
and disaster areas, based upon need
and approval of a central controlling
authority (DHS?)
• Should optionally show resource typing
• Should be used with written orders to
report, signed by requesting authority
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Possible Changes in ARES/RACES
• Dissolution of ARES and RACES in
favor of a new national organization
• Restructuring of ARES, pending
recommendations of National Board
• Reassignment of RACES to another
DHS, FCC or government body
• Increased training in RACES to bring
program on a par with MARS
• And possibly no changes at all on a
national level
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Michigan
Lyle and Marv, we in Michigan are in fact working towards this type of thing
as we speak.
Marv, as soon as we have the particulars worked out we will be rolling it
out to the rest of the state. We only have until October 1, 2006 to become
compliant in IS-700 at this time. So the timeline is very short. This was
just brought to our attention by MSP-EMD in a January 17, 2006 dated memo.
Marty Mendelson, N8MG
Changes in ARES in Michigan are definitely coming
down the pike. We can assume a requirement for at
least IS-700.
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Chippewa County
• We should continue as a combined
ARES/RACES organization
• We should accept the training
requirements that may be imposed
• We should “get ahead of the power
curve” by seeking training above that
which is merely required
• We should closely coordinate and
cooperate with Mr. McKee
• We should advocate a state and
federal plan for amateur radio
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Chippewa County
• Define a mission
• Local
• Regional
• National
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Chippewa County R.A.C.E.S.
Mission:
T
he mission of Chippewa County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service is to establish
and maintain the leadership, organization and infrastructure necessary to provide
emergency radio communications in support of emergency management entities
throughout Chippewa County, Michigan:




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When conventional communications are inadequate to meet public safety or humanitarian
needs;
When amateur radio resources may help facilitate response or recovery in any emergency
situation;
When lives and property can be protected;
When human suffering can be relieved;
Whenever and wherever it becomes necessary, so no community in need is without
essential communication service.
Guiding Principles:
Chippewa County RACES strives to enhance the reliability, quality and professionalism of Radio
Amateur Civil Emergency Service personnel through the establishment of stringent training and
performance standards, policies, procedures, management of, and supervision of amateur radio
operators registered with the organization that may be activated to provide communications on
behalf of the served agencies and clients requesting our voluntary assistance.
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Vision:
Chippewa County RACES pledges a commitment to preparedness and service in
protection of public health, safety and welfare by encouraging innovative leadership and
individual responsibility which enhances the reliability and excellence of amateur radio
emergency communications. We motivate amateur radio operators to excel in all facets
of emergency communications and recognize those who exemplify our RACES philosophy.
Values:
Chippewa County RACES members reflect the following qualities and personal values:







We are responsible and accountable,
We demonstrate integrity and initiative,
We are truthful and respectful in relations with other members and those we serve,
We are, above all, trustworthy,
We strive to become well-integrated members of an action team,
We strive to maintain personal growth throughout all activities, and
We are competent to perform our assigned duties and responsibilities.
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Chippewa County
• What is wrong with the Mission
Statement?
• It does not reflect a willingness to
respond to regional or national
emergencies!
• It does not provide for incoming or
outgoing mutual aid exchanges!
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Brainstorming Scenarios and Responses
• In the next couple of minutes, jot
down some events that may trigger
an amateur radio emergency
activation.
• Also write down some ideas on how
we could or should respond to these
events.
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Brainstorming Scenarios and Responses
• Shout out your scenarios, and I will
write them on the whiteboard, and we
will discuss responses after each
one.
• Afterwards, we will look at a few that
I came up with…
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Brainstorming Scenarios and Responses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Weather (summer/winter)
Internet down
Telephone down
911 communications down
Electric utility down
Natural gas and propane
HAZMAT
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Brainstorming Scenarios and Responses
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Terror Alert Level Orange or Red
Actual terrorist activity
Transportation
Border Shutdown
Search and rescue
Major aircraft accident
Others?
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Requirements
What is required for us to respond?
Personal training, knowledge and
ability
Equipment- Radios, power, antennas,
vehicles, clothing, etc.
Deployment- Procedures, equipment,
reporting authority, credentials
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Technologies
• UHF- ATV, voice, digital, linked
repeaters
• VHF- Voice, digital, repeaters
• HF- CW, phone, PSK-31, digital
• APRS – Tracking, damage
assessment, messaging
• Winlink – e-mail
• ATV and digital photos
• VOIP
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Incorporating Ideas into a Plan
• Different emergencies may require
different skills, training and
equipment; however, can we identify
common denominators?
• Operators may be needed at the
EOC, at home and/or in the field.
How can we best utilize the few
operators that we have?
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Incorporating Ideas into a Plan
• What modes and methods are the
easiest and most efficient?
• Can we support multiple,
simultaneous incidents?
• Should we explore resource typing
through trial and error, or wait until a
model is accepted?
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Documents
• Mission Statement
• Annex to County Emergency
Operations Plan, after state model
• Training Checklist
Mandated training
Demonstration of abilities
Certification
• Personal equipment checklist
• Organization owned equipment
• Accepted national credentials
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Documents
• Annex to State EOP, after national
model
• Standard Operating Procedures
• Frequencies, modes, methods, backups
• How-to-do-it information subject to
frequent changes
• Alerting lists, membership roster
• Mutual aid policy to assist other
counties and sections
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Summary
• There is much work to be done…and
few hands to do it.
• When and if state and county models
are developed, how well will we be
able to adapt the plan to our needs?
• Can we retain the members we have
and add to our equipment?
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Summary
• Can we grow, as a professional
organization, to more fully support
Chippewa County?
• Can we assist other counties in the
state on a mutual aid basis?
• Can we assemble a team capable of
traveling long distances and
operating unsupported?
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Summary
• ARES and RACES will probably
change
• Our mission should be expanded to
provide mutual aid
• Our documents and plans may need
frequent changes to reflect imposed
mandates and policies
• We need to examine “the most bang
for the buck” strategies in methods,
modes and equipment
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Summary
• We must accept additional training
requirements and eagerly pursue
such training
• We must commit ourselves to
becoming “Amateur Radio First
Responders”, with all the
professionalism that it requires
• We must recruit new members…but
people enjoy belonging to elite
volunteer groups
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Summary
It is time for us to talk the talk, walk the
walk and sing the song. It is not your
father’s ARES and RACES anymore.
This is a new ballgame in a new age.
We have the support of many
agencies and groups. Most
importantly, we have the support of
our own Emergency Management
Director, Mr. Tim McKee
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Summary
The road ahead may not be very clear,
but we are certainly going forward
and our vision is improving.
By working as a team and using all of
our abilities and resources, we CAN
handle the job before us, for our
families, our neighbors and our
country.
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The End, part 1
I hope that this exercise has given you
a new awareness of our changing
mission, and how we plan on getting
it done. Your own ideas, thoughts
and concerns are very important to
the entire team. Do I have to tell
Amateur Radio Operators that we
HAVE to communicate?
Stick with us, and I think you will see
some great things come along…
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The End, part 2
Thank You and 73!
We can’t do it without YOU!
Lyle, AB8CB
Marv, KC8MLD
Director Tim McKee
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