Amateur
Radio
Emergency
Services
&
Disaster
Services
Technology
COMBINING FORCES
Especially prepared for
ARES State Conference
October 18, 2014

Amateur Radio Operator – KA9MNB/N9EAL/WI9ARC

Disaster Action Team volunteer – Waukesha County

ARES member - Waukesha County

Red Cross Disaster Services Technology Lead

Red Cross Disaster Assessment Lead
◦ Eastern Wisconsin Region/state of WI
◦ Deploy nationally in DST
◦ Eastern Wisconsin Region/state of WI
◦ Deploy nationally in DA
Helping to bring
Order out of
Chaos through
the use of
Communications,
computers, and
internet connectivity to:
“to best meet the needs of the survivors
in the community “
Provide
INTRAOPERABLE
Communications
Provide
INTEROPERABLE
Communications
Using multiple tools
 Role
within Red Cross has morphed
◦ From “Communications”
◦ To Disaster Services Technology
 Communications
 Computers
 Networking
 Customer Service

Communication
◦
◦
◦
◦

Install Communication equipment (radios, repeaters, cell phones, satellite phones, antennas)
Repair and maintain communication equipment
Serve as a radio operator and liaison to the Amateur Radio groups supporting affected area
Install and maintain IP phones
Computer Operations
◦ Install and support computer workstations and network applications in both fixed and
mobile environments
◦ Manage deployed servers, e-mail and user accounts
◦ Provide system administration support


Networking
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Design and install wired and wireless infrastructure
Install and maintain IP Fax
Provide network operations troubleshooting
Monitor network traffic
Maintain network security
◦
◦
◦
◦
Receive and inventory all DST equipment
Check out to and receive equipment from DRO staff
Provide single point of contact
Provide user orientations
Customer Service

Four Roles
◦ Amateur Radio Liaison
◦ Communication Equipment
Operator
◦ Communications Equipment
installer/repair
◦ Disaster Assessment
“Each organization will encourage
interested volunteers to become
members and participate in the
activities of the other organization.
Such volunteers shall meet the
standards, have the responsibilities
and be entitled to the privileges of
each organization.”
 Person
◦ Familiar with amateur radio, ARES, Red
Cross
◦ Single point of contact
◦ Linked to person in other organization
Stationary or mobile
 Equipment – yours and/or ours
 Shadow
 Amateur frequencies or
 Red Cross / National disaster frequencies
◦ SHARES (HF)


Shelters
◦ Within shelters
◦ Shelters to
 Headquarters
 EOC
 Other shelters
◦ Message content
 Supplies!!
 Census
 Client
requests/information
(careful!)
 Outreach
Teams
◦ Casework
◦ Mental Health
◦ Health Service
◦ Coordinate teams
◦ IMPORTANT instant
communications

The “When All Else Fails” situation
◦ ARES & amateur radio are at their best
◦ Multiple served agencies
◦ Short term

The “Best Option” situation
◦ ARES & amateur radio constitute the most effective
communications
◦ Fewer served agencies
◦ Longer term
Received
Message
Received
Message
Transmitted
Message
Received
Message
Received
Message
POOR
Situational
Awareness
Received
Message
Received
Message
Transmitted
Message
Received
Message
Received
Message
GOOD
Situational
Awareness
Received
Message
Received
Message
Transmitted
Message
Received
Message
Received
Message
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATES

A.R.E.S.
◦ CAN communicate
with any other
amateur radio
operator

R.A.C.E.S.
◦ CANNOT
communicate with
any other amateur
radio operator (?)
 Only other RACES
operators
 §97.407
Emphasizes importance of “crossover”



Stationary or mobile
Equipment – yours and/or ours
Locations
◦ Headquarters
◦ Kitchens
◦ Shelters
◦ Temporary Locations
 PODs
 MARCs
 Service Centers

Feeding
◦ Kitchens to ERVs
◦ ERV’s to ERVs
◦ Red Cross radio system
 47.42 MHz
 National system

Headquarters
◦ Prepare Equipment
For distribution
◦ Centralize
communication
efforts
◦ Care & Control of
equipment

Help Establish
◦ Antennas
◦ Radios
◦ Paths ???
Utilize – teach people
 Maintain
 Break down

◦ and all FAST
◦ Skywarn
 As the need is created
 Situational awareness
◦ Teams in the field
 Collecting damage
information
 Team coordination
 Result reporting
◦ Special DA Class
 You schedule





ARES
Trained comm Personnel
Committed to serve
Operators have
equipment
Rapid response





RED CROSS
Resources
Purpose & Direction
Starts response NOW
Multi-faceted response
◦ Needing coordination
BOTH
Trained teams
Leverage local resources
What would your role be

Communications
◦ Install Communication equipment (radios, repeaters, cell phones, satellite
phones, antennas)
◦ Repair and maintain communication equipment
◦ Serve as a radio operator and liaison to the Amateur Radio groups
supporting affected area
◦ Install and maintain IP phones
◦ Truly the ARES role

Computers

Networking

Customer Service
Install and support
computer workstations
and network
applications in both
fixed and mobile
environments
Manage deployed
servers, e-mail and
user accounts
Provide system
administration support
Design and install
wired and wireless
infrastructure
Install and maintain IP
Fax
Provide network
operations
troubleshooting
Monitor network traffic
Maintain network
security
Receive and inventory
all DST equipment
Check out to and
receive equipment from
DRO staff
Provide single point of
contact
Provide user
orientations
Quick recap

Liaison

Communications equipment operator

Communications equipment installer/repair

Damage assessment
 ARRL
EmComm Training
 ARES participation
 FEMA training
◦ ICS especially
 ARC
damage assessment training
 Red Cross DST training
◦ DST101 courses
 Red
Cross disaster training
◦ Better understand what/why of messages
Anything Red Cross



For inviting me to tell the story of a served agency
For all that you have done
For all that you will be doing
Volunteer service is the rent one pays for the
space they occupy on earth
Consider yourselves paid up!