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   http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/ares-el/?issue=2014-02-19   
      
   The ARES E-Letter   
      
   February 19, 2014   
   Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE   
      
   In This Issue:   
      
    *  Upcoming Hurricane Conferences   
    *  Reports: California Club Supports Statewide Emergency Medical Exercise   
    *  Letters: FEMA Adds Disaster Reporter Feature to App   
    *  Webinars Designed to Prime Public Preparedness Officials for Amateur   
       Radio Test   
    *  Florida Panhandle County ARES Activates for Winter Storm   
    *  Letters: Cherokee County (Georgia) Gets New Call Sign for Auxiliary   
       Communications   
    *  Letters: Coordinating Winlink Tactical Call Signs for ARES Use   
    *  Letters: New Mesh Software Available   
    *  Opinion: Training Requirements Turn Away ARES Candidates   
    *  K1CE For a Final   
      
   The ARRL Centennial is a good time to reflect on the past to help us prepare   
   for the future. In looking at seminal events in the history of ARRL, and   
   especially ARES, one that is seared into the minds of us all is Hurricane   
   Katrina, which occurred in late August, 2005. Here are a few excerpts from   
   the ARES E-Letter for September 2005 as a remembrance. They seem to resonate   
   with significance even today, almost ten years later.   
      
   "Numerous reports are coming in on the devastation and relief response,   
   including ARES, manifested by Hurricane Katrina. This special release   
   addresses initial ARES responses and planning. Everyone has seen the media   
   reports and the public notices of various governmental agencies and   
   Non-Governmental Organizations, so they will not be reiterated here. The   
   purpose of this edition is to share early reports and stories of what our   
   fellow ARES members are doing in the field in response to one of the worst   
   natural disasters to beset the United States. These efforts are only   
   preliminary, and in no way represent the total ARES effort, which will   
   evolve over the hard hours, days and weeks to come." - September 2, 2005   
      
   "I know many people would like to move now. Please don't. I know many of you   
   want to enter the fray, come to the coast and get involved. Please, not yet.   
   Transportation and logistics, including volunteer groups coming in, must be   
   done in an orderly manner or we may only add to the chaos and confusion." --   
   ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, September 2, 2005   
      
   "We are all concerned about the people in the path of Katrina's destruction.   
   Many of us have friends or family in the area, others have friends and   
   co-workers with friends or family in the area. At this time information into   
   and out of the affected areas is sporadic. Our fellow hams are overloaded   
   with requests for food, water and rescue. They cannot handle health and   
   welfare traffic at this time. Here's how you can help now. Keep frequencies   
   with any kind of relief traffic clear -- that means listen only, don't be a   
   policeman. Have patience. If you want to go to the area to assist with   
   communications or other activities, contact the Red Cross or other relief   
   agencies. They have required training courses before you can be deployed, so   
   do not be surprised if you are told "no." Donate money. Coordinate your   
   travel offer for ARES mutual assistance with your SEC. Do not attempt to   
   travel to the area on your own." - Sherri Brower, W4STB, Southern Florida   
   Section Manager, September 2, 2005   
      
   "National Public Radio (NPR) featured a brief interview with a Louisiana   
   state senator yesterday, who made the observation that their biggest problem   
   is communication among the various responding agencies. That comment   
   [confirmed what we as radio amateurs all know]: interoperability among   
   agencies has been a long time, deeply entrenched problem, and is fostered in   
   part by poor coordination and planning, or to put it less politely, "turf   
   protection." It's a manifestation [hurricane%20flag.jpg] of human nature and   
   organizational behavior, I suppose. So, here we have a new event that   
   presents another perfect opportunity for service by ARES: fill the   
   interoperability gap. That opportunity will manifest itself in countless   
   places, with countless agencies in the days and weeks to come, as the Gulf   
   coast slowly recovers. When the time comes for post-recovery evaluations,   
   ARES may find itself written into more inter-agency communication plans,   
   with more government and agency support. At least that's what we should work   
   for, when we get to that point down the long, hard road to come." -- K1CE,   
   September 5, 2005   
      
   "Final Note to Deployers: Caution should be the keynote of those ARES   
   members getting ready to deploy to the affected areas. Make no mistake about   
   it: you are going into harm's way. There will be the usual gross   
   hazards--the weakened buildings and trees, the water, and debris. And there   
   will be unseen hazards from the microbial world. Before departure, see your   
   local clinic for vaccinations that will likely include tetanus, Hepatitis A   
   and Hepatitis B, among others. Be sure that you are prepared physically to   
   endure a harsh environment, without the usual creature comforts, including a   
   bathroom. Also be prepared for the mental hazards: you will see things that   
   will be psychologically disturbing. You will endure fatigue that you have   
   never felt before. It is a fatigue that you will feel to the core of your   
   being. But, know one more thing: We on the periphery will be with you in   
   spirit, and will be in front of our radios to support your efforts by   
   relaying your messages and offering words of encouragement. We are proud   
   that you are one of us." -- K1CE   
      
   Upcoming Hurricane Conferences   
      
   National Hurricane Conference: April 14-17, Orlando, Florida   
      
   This year, the National Hurricane Conference will be held in Orlando,   
   Florida, at the Orlando Hilton hotel, April 14-17. The primary goal of the   
   National Hurricane Conference is to improve hurricane preparedness,   
   response, recovery and mitigation in order to save lives and property in the   
   United States and the tropical islands of the Caribbean and Pacific. In   
   addition, the conference serves as a national forum for federal, state and   
   local officials to exchange ideas and recommend new policies to improve   
   Emergency Management. For past conferences, there has been a robust Amateur   
   Radio and ARES presence in the form of packed workshops and discussion   
   forums. Planning for this year's conference is underway now. Plan now to   
   attend! Register here.   
      
   Florida Governor's Hurricane Conference   
      
   The 28th Annual Governor's Hurricane Conference will be held May 11 - 16,   
   2014 at the Rosen Centre Hotel and Orange County Convention Center in   
   Orlando, Florida. This conference also features an impressive presence of   
   Amateur Radio and ARES. More information can be found here. As plans for   
   Amateur Radio-related workshops and forums evolve, they will be reported   
   here in the ARES E-Letter.   
      
   Reports: California Club Supports Statewide Emergency Medical Exercise   
      
   The Bishop Amateur Radio Club (BARC) participation in the recent California   
   statewide emergency medical exercise was featured in a media report here:   
   http://mammothtimes.com/content/times-trouble-hamsters-rescue   
      
   A total communications breakdown was simulated (phone, cellular, Internet,   
   VHF and UHF repeaters). BARC members set up HF stations with NVIS antennas   
   at the three hospitals in Inyo and Mono Counties, and established solid   
   communications among the three hospitals and the Inland Counties Emergency   
   Medical Agency (ICEMA) in San Bernardino, California. ICEMA has an HF   
   Station with a 40-meter beam antenna at Patton State Hospital in San   
   Bernardino. -- Paul Dostie, KK6BAF   
      
   Letters: FEMA Adds Disaster Reporter Feature to App   
      
   FEMA has added a feature to their disaster app whereby citizens can send   
   photos of disaster scenes to FEMA from their smartphone. After a quick   
   vetting, the photo is geo-referenced (added as a GIS layer) to an   
   interactive map for emergency managers. Here is the link to the    
   tory:http://howtomobile.apps.gov/2014/01/16/fema-app-adds-disaster-reporter-fe   
   ature/   
      
   -- Robert Bauer, KC4HM, Louisville, Kentucky [Bauer is a retired city of   
   Louisville police officer and trained severe storm spotter for the NWS   
   Office in Louisville - ed.]   
      
   Webinars Designed to Prime Public Preparedness Officials for Amateur Radio   
   Test   
      
   The National Association for County & City Health Officials (NACCHO) is   
   offering a series of webinars designed to teach public preparedness   
   officials about Amateur Radio and help them to get licensed. Testing will be   
   administered April 3 at the 2014 Preparedness Summit, which takes place   
   April 1-4 in Atlanta.   
      
   The webinars are free, and registration is required. NACCHO will offer an   
   in-person review session at the Summit the night before the examination. The   
   webinars will be recorded and made available on the NACCHO website. The   
   webinars will be offered on Wednesdays, February 5 and 19, and March 5, 4-5   
   PM Eastern Time. There is more information on the Preparedness Summit   
   website.-- Thanks to Dan Romanchik, KB6NU, and NACCHO   
      
   Florida Panhandle County ARES Activates for Winter Storm   
      
   On Monday, January 27, 2014 at 1700, Escambia County (Florida) Emergency   
   Management activated their EOC for a winter storm. The EOC was at Level I   
   (full activation). ARES was also activated at that time. After a National   
   Weather Service conference call that evening, the decision was made to go to   
   Level II (limited activation). ARES remained activated pursuant to Emergency   
   Management's request. At 1930, Emergency Management suspended operations for   
   the night because of changes in the weather forecast and ARES was secured.   
      
   The EOC was reactivated at 0700 the next morning at Level II. The ARES room   
   was staffed at 0630 and ARES was reactivated. Emergency operations finally   
   ended on Thursday, January 30, with ARES operations terminated as well.   
      
   During the course of the week, rain on Tuesday turned to freezing rain,   
   sleet, and snow by Tuesday night, causing icy conditions on roads and   
   bridges. All of the Interstates highways, most of the bridges, and many   
   roads in the Pensacola area were closed due to hazardous icing conditions.   
   Conditions finally started to improve by Wednesday afternoon, and there were   
   major improvements in road conditions by Thursday morning. The interstates   
   reopened around 1600 on Thursday afternoon.   
      
   Escambia County ARES was active for 61 hours during this event, with 46   
   Amateur Radio operators serving. Nine ARES members staffed the ARES room at   
   the EOC at various times. 23 ARES members checked in during the weekly   
   Escambia County Emergency Net on VHF on Monday night. 21 additional radio   
   operators including 5 ARES members, checked in during the event via radio or   
   on WebEOC.   
      
   Two shelters (one winter weather shelter, and one train derailment shelter)   
   were opened. An EMS need request was handled via Amateur Radio, and reports   
   on weather and road conditions were sent in by operators in the affected   
   area.   
      
   Amateurs also assisted drivers (including truckers) with road and bridge   
   condition reports and directions on both a 2 meter amateur repeater and on   
   CB radio.   
      
   ARES operators diligently submitted a total of eight ARES situation reports   
   (SITREPs) and ARES leadership responded with updates back to the   
   rank-and-file operators.   
      
   Assets employed included HF voice via the Northern Florida ARES net and   
   Northern Florida Phone Net, and a tactical net on the county 146.76 MHz   
   repeater. Digital modes were also employed, including APRS, which was used   
   to track at least one ARES member on the map as they traveled to and from   
   the EOC. Radio e-mail using HF frequencies via Winlink was tested, and   
   D-STAR was also tested on the D-RATS platform in digital chat mode to the   
   state EOC in Tallahassee. Operators connected to and monitored the Northern   
   Florida Ratflector.   
      
   CB Radio was also used to give directions and reports to the truckers   
   navigating from the interstate (I-10) to US 90, which was open. It was the   
   first use of the CB radio at the EOC for emergency operations since it was   
   installed after Hurricane Ivan.   
      
   Observations and Recommendations   
      
   The meals provided at the EOC were simple and very good. There were no major   
   problems with WebEOC - a popular EOC suite of programs and management tool   
   -- during this operation. All operations were effected well. An Escambia   
   County and Pensacola area street map book would have been useful when   
   providing directions to travelers and truckers; the ARES operators on duty   
   in the ARES room were relying on their memory. The Florida map in the ARES   
   room was used to help. A/V equipment and computers/printers need to be   
   tested more regularly for troubleshooting prior to actual incidents. Also,   
   since there is no window into the EOC from the ARES room to monitor what was   
   going on, there was a loss of situational awareness with the TV receiver in   
   the ARES room not working properly.   
      
   ARES operators need to practice putting items from their activity log into   
   WebEOC. Other entities seemed to be able to keep their activity logs on   
   WebEOC more up to date. - ARRL Northern Florida Section News   
      
   Letters: Cherokee County (Georgia) Gets New Call Sign for Auxiliary   
   Communications   
      
   The FCC has approved a new call sign for Cherokee County (Georgia) Auxiliary   
   Communications, WX4AUX. This is not a new group nor does it replace ARES,   
   RACES or MARS. This simply allows a means to be identified under the   
   Incident Command System (ICS) to include ARES, RACES, and MARS with a common   
   name. View WX4AUX and pics at: http://www.qrz.com/db/WX4AUX   
      
   A new Auxiliary Communications Field Operations Guide (AUXFOG) can be of use   
   across the US for ARES, RACES, MARS, etc. and has been recently released by   
   DHS/OEC. You can download a copy from:   
   http://www.publicsafetytools.info/auxfog/start_auxfog_info.php -- Jim   
   Millsap, WB4NWS, DEC, Metro Atlanta District ARES, wb4nws@comcast.net   
      
   Letters: Coordinating Winlink Tactical Call Signs for ARES Use   
      
   Ages ago (in the late 1980s, or perhaps a bit earlier), a FEMA official met   
   with a statewide group of ARES/RACES leaders in Salem, Oregon. The official   
   stressed that HF, VHF, and Packet comprised "a 3-legged stool" for emergency   
   communications support. I voiced the observation that packet becomes less   
   effective outside of a local area unless one first knows how to address a   
   message to a remote digital station, including those with which they may   
   have never before communicated. My suggestion to him was for FEMA to   
   coordinate with the FCC to permit uniform static tactical packet addresses   
   throughout the country for amateur digital communications associated with   
   EOCs. The example format I mentioned was that of the National Crime   
   Information Center (NCIC) ORI (Originating Agency Identifier) used in law   
   enforcement, which follows a standard naming convention.   
      
   Fast forward to January 2014 when I set out to fulfill a request by the   
   Disaster Relief Team at the Cascades Region of the Red Cross for a list of   
   Winlink e-mail addresses that would be active in EOCs throughout Washington   
   State during an emergency/disaster. As the responses from the leaders in the   
   counties began to trickle in, it quickly became obvious that we as ARES may   
   be under-prepared for providing backup digital communications for our served   
   agencies. A few counties reported no digital capability in their county EOC;   
   some plan to rely on whoever is dispatched to the EOC or shows up with the   
   right gear; some have Winlink e-mail addresses associated with their EOC,   
   but bounced when I sent a continuity test message; and only a few counties   
   use static tactical Winlink e-mail addresses at critical communications   
   locations (ie, county/city/tribal EOC, law enforcement, fire station, health   
   department, and public works facilities).   
      
   The concept of tactical Winlink e-mail addresses is introduced here on the   
   Winlink website. These are free-form addresses up to 12 characters in length   
   (before the @ sign). During an emergency/disaster event, how does an EOC or   
   agency in your neighboring county know/remember if you are using   
   eoc-5@winlink.org or eoc-17@winlink.org for your tactical callsign? Could   
   the EOC in Volusia County, Florida, send a Winlink message to Wahkiakum   
   County, Washington, without knowing the call sign of the operator on duty at   
   the EOC in Cathlamet? Yes, that outside EOC/agency could contact you on a   
   voice band and ask, but what if a critical band is out and this extra step   
   drastically delays a critical message between served agencies?   
      
   Now, let's merge that old idea of coordinating uniform static packet   
   addresses with the Winlink capability of establishing tactical e-mail   
   addresses. For example, we could define an eight-position tactical e-mail   
   address (to differentiate it from the nine-position ORI). The first two   
   positions could be the state abbreviation; the next three positions could be   
   the unique code for the county (ANSI standard INCITS 31:2009) or an acronym   
   for a state agency; the final three positions might be some sort of served   
   agency identifier within the county.   
   Therefore, the question I put forth to the ARES E-Letter readership is, "Do   
   we want to initiate a coordinated effort to create a systematic method for   
   self-assigning uniform tactical Winlink e-mail addresses for the agencies we   
   serve in emergencies/disasters?" It might be prudent to form a small ad hoc   
   advisory group to define the addressing scheme with the goal of recommending   
   it for all to use across North America. -- Steve Aberle, WA7PTM, ARRL   
   Official Emergency Station (OES), ARRL Western Washington Section   
      
   Letters: New Mesh Software Available   
      
   The leaders at Broadband-Hamnet (formerly known as HSMM-MESH) have   
   officially released a version of their MESH software for some of the   
   Ubiquiti products. See   
   http://www.broadband-hamnet.org/documentation/186-ubnt-fw-release-101   
      
   Unlike the Linksys WRT54G series of indoor, table top routers/radios, the   
   Ubiquiti devices are designed for outdoor use. In addition, at least two   
   Broadband Hamnet capable Ubiquiti devices, the NanoStation Loco M2 (NSL-M2)   
   and the NanoStation M2 (NS-M2), incorporate a router radio and an antenna in   
   one unit. The main difference between the NanoStation Loco M2 and the   
   NanoStation M2 is the strength of their built in antennas. The Loco M2   
   provides 8 db gain while the M2 offers an increase to 11 db gain.   
      
   If I were to update my old Volusia Mesh presentation (as discussed in the   
   January issue of this newsletter), I'd replace the WRT54G routers with the   
   Ubiquiti M2. You can buy the M2 new from Amazon.com for $88.99, just about   
   the price of an old WRT54G, an antenna, and a waterproof box. -- Mark   
   Friedlander, KV4I, Assistant EC, Volusia County, Florida ARES   
      
   Opinion: Training Requirements Turn Away ARES Candidates   
      
   In response to your recent QST Public Service column subject on Oregon's   
   emergency management's call for more hams, I'd like to offer the following   
   perspective. I have been a ham since the late 70s and continuously in ARES   
   until this year. I lost my ARES membership because I failed to take all of   
   the on-line FEMA tests/certs. My ARES experience has ranged from a   
   communicator (and certified climber) with the Mountain Rescue Association in   
   California to helping during Hurricane Andrew and as Red Cross Disaster   
   Chairman for the State of Oregon. I have been an AEC and a DEC and   
   participated in scores of exercises and events over the past 30 years.   
      
   In the late 70s when I joined ARES, all one had to do was show an interest   
   in public service, list mobile gear, take instructions from an EC or AEC and   
   be ready to roll. We never had a shortage of operators in ARES. Currently in   
   my small town there are several highly qualified amateurs who are not   
   interested in meeting the qualifications now required by the county ARES. It   
   is not the fault of the county's ARES leaders. In the name of   
   "professionalism," the larger ARES community, emergency managers and FEMA   
   has talked us into such a strong belief that we can do a better job if we   
   memorize all the ins and outs of the Incident Command System and protocols   
   and procedures of those we serve that this knowledge has become mandatory.   
      
   This knowledge may be helpful and "nice to know" and good topics for   
   overviews in meetings, but is it so essential that it needs to become   
   mandatory for every foot soldier before he can even be an ARES member?   
      
   As I see it the mandatory knowledge consists of how to set up nets, knowing   
   the useful repeaters and their tones, knowing where simplex can be used,   
   knowing where relays are necessary, having good equipment and -- after some   
   training help if necessary -- demonstrating you can use it in an emergency.   
   But because of the training and certification requirements now imposed, we   
   may be losing candidates for the ARES program who feel like I do. Now is the   
   time to make it possible for every interested ham to join ARES by limiting   
   requirements to the least possible hassle. -- William N. Miller, KJ7GQ,   
   Sisters, Oregon   
      
   K1CE For a Final   
      
   I receive many letters like KJ7GQ's above. Here in Volusia county, Florida,   
   many ARES members were lost when certification requirements and especially   
   an intrusive background check were imposed a few years ago. The actions left   
   the program here without enough operators to fully staff the many shelters   
   in the large county. Reportedly, some of the requirements have been dropped   
   and a few ARES members are stepping back into the program, but some damage   
   control was clearly indicated.   
      
   The challenge to ARES leaders, emergency managers and Red Cross officials is   
   to properly balance the legitimate needs of these entities with the fact   
   that we are volunteers with jobs, families and other activities that   
   naturally limit the amount of time and resources we have to devote to ARES   
   training, drills and actual incidents.   
      
   The rule of reason must apply. On the one hand, over the course of time   
   since 9/11 and the Hurricane Katrina mega-disaster, the US has ramped up its   
   domestic emergency and disaster services for more effective and efficient   
   response. The Incident Command System was developed as a nationwide template   
   for all emergency response agencies to be able to work together from the   
   same page with interoperability and a recognized, universal management   
   model. We, as ARES members, need to understand how the ICS works, otherwise   
   we will be left outside, looking in. It is not unreasonable for served   
   agencies to expect us to be conversant in this model. Similarly, it is not   
   unreasonable for Red Cross, for example, to be confident that we are   
   conversant with their protocols and procedures, and for it - and the public   
   - to be aware of who is working in public shelters via a background check.   
      
   On the other hand, training/certification/background checks must be   
   reasonable and not so onerous that we end up losing members who throw their   
   hands up and throw in the towel. That is the trick! - K1CE   
      
   ___________   
      
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   )\/(ark   
      
   One of the great tragedies of life is the murder of a beautiful theory by a   
   gang of brutal facts. --Benjamin Franklin   
      
   --- FMail/Win32 1.60   
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