Welcome to the Maine Emergency Communications Course Level I

1
Welcome to the Maine Emergency Communications
CourseLevel I

• How We Operate In An Emergency

2
Introduction

• The Maine Emergency Communications CourseLevel I
  is copied and adapted from the Colorado Emergency
  Communications Course and used with permission
  from Colorado ARES.
• The Maine Emergency Communications Course Level I
  is the next step in the evolution of the material
  collected on behalf of the ARRL for its ongoing
  education course in Emergency Communication. This
  material deviates from the ARRL course in that
  the intent here is to provide the student with
  the practical information that each person active
  in emergency communication needs without the
  "fluff" associated in other presentations within
  Emergency Communication.
• The first segment is orientation, to supply the
  student with appropriate background information
  in such items as terminology, service, attitude,
  the ARES organization, ARES/RACES, Maine ARES
  Communications Plan, Served Agencies, and
  personal preparation. The second segment
  includes safety, basics of communication, nets,
  traffic handling, personal equipment, modes of
  operation, call-out process and debriefing. With
  the third segment being an overview of the
  Incident Command System (ICS).

3

• Most amateur radio operators have had little or
  no training or experience in emergency
  communications
• Training is gained from formal education
  (courses)
• Training is gained through participation in nets
• Training is gained from experience
• Through exercises and drills
• Public Service Events
• Actual Emergencies
• We Are Part Of Command And Control

4
Terms and Definitions

• ARES - Amateur Radio Emergency Service
• Group of Hams that have volunteered to train in
  communication for use by local Public Service and
  disaster relief agencies during times of
  emergency.
• RACES - Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
• Group of Hams that have volunteered to train in
  communication for use by local Civil Defense (now
  called Office of Emergency Management OEM)
  during times of emergency.
• Communications Emergency (a.k.a. Incident)
• Any planned or unplanned occurrence, regardless
  of cause, which requires action by emergency
  service personnel to prevent or minimize loss of
  life or damage to property and/or natural
  resources.
• Event
• Any planned activity that is non emergency in
  nature where ARES communicators are used to
  assist a charitable organization with
  communications, or ARES training exercises.
• Emergency communications - Emergency
  Communication
• Supplemental Communication provided to our
  served agencies by ARES/RACES when served agency
  communications are overloaded.

5
Service - Our Job

• The goal of this course is to provide
  consistently knowledgeable communication people
  who have a very positive, service oriented
  attitude. Unfortunately, there are persons in
  the amateur radio community that believe we are
  there because we have a "right" to participate.
  The opposite is actually true. We are welcomed by
  the public service community only to serve their
  communication needs. We are there only at their
  pleasure and to provide a service. In fact, our
  very existence is only to provide for their
  needs. We provide the public service community
  supplemental communication when their systems are
  overloaded.

6

• We
• Do not run the event or incident!
• Keep good records.
• Practice by helping charitable organizations and
  by participating in disaster drills and
  exercises.
• Our job is to serve!

7
Record Keeping

• Before we go further into the emergency
  communications material it is helpful to
  understand record keeping. While most people
  find record keeping distasteful it does serve a
  necessary purpose during ARES/RACES events. If a
  served agency person comes over and asks when
  thus-and-such was handled, how will you answer?
  If you keep accurate logs of everything your
  location does the answer is easy. Look in your
  log and give them the information they requested.

8

• Your records
• Can be used as a legal document
• Are very important for documentation if you are
  operating in an ICS managed incident

9

• Important forms to retain
• Log (ICS Form 309 recommended)
• Informal notes on the incident
• Copies of messages
• ICS Form 213 (ICS Message Form)
• ARRL Radiograms
• ARC Form 4612 (Message Form)
• ARC Form 2079I (DWI Inquiry)
• The sooner you get used to the paperwork, the
  easier it becomes
• When In Doubt Retain The Documentation

10
Attitude

• A person having just completed basic training as
  a fire fighter is not going to be expected by the
  public, his peers, or his superiors to be as well
  suited to all aspects of the job as one who has
  undergone additional training above the basic
  level. Field experience added to on-going
  training are what make a good firefighter. Why
  then is it that many of the Amateur Radio
  fraternity feel that having an operator's license
  automatically makes them an asset to public
  safety communications? Unfortunately this
  attitude is held by many amateurs and is an
  example of something in need of change. A driving
  license grants one the privilege of driving upon
  the public streets and highways. It does not
  entitle the person to drive a heavy truck for
  hire. It is the requirement of on-going training
  and experience that produces a qualified operator.

11

• Before you begin the technical material involved
  in learning about Emergency Communications, it is
  imperative that you understand your knowledge in
  emergency communications is not actually as
  important as your attitude, during emergencies.
  Yes, technical ability will enable you to do a
  far better job of communicating. But your
  attitude will determine the success of the
  overall Amateur Radio effort. The person who
  brings a "know it all" or "Cowboy" attitude will
  only hamper relations with served agencies.
• The people you will be serving - remember that
  word - are professionals that have seen far too
  many people more interested in impressing someone
  than in getting the job done. You will actually
  impress them far more by being as quiet as you
  can and doing your job well. Results, without
  interference of served agency people, will cement
  relations with your served agency. Our served
  agencies also respond well when we take a
  positive attitude and relate what we can do
  rather than what we can't do.

12

• Hams are patriotic, independent people and they
  are volunteers. The attitude among a few hams is
  that Volunteers don't have to take orders.
  That's absolutely correct. We don't have to take
  orders. But if you are not ready to follow
  instructions, you may want to do something
  outside of ARES/RACES.
• Your attitude may be the most important thing
  you bring to an incident!

13
Who Defines An Emergency?

• Our Served Agencies define the emergency and
  their response to it
• We respond to the needs of our served agencies
  and serve them
• The FCC defines how we operate in an emergency
• Through the rules put forth in Part 97

14
Who Defines An Emergency?

• In an emergency
• Not Anything goes
• Amateur Radio operations is defined by Part 97
• 97.401, 97.403 and 97.405
• Anything goes only for the Immediate protection
  of life or property
• Defined in Part 97 (97.403 and 97.405)

15
Who Defines An Emergency?

• 97.401 Operation during a disaster.
• (a) When normal communication systems are
  overloaded, damaged or disrupted because a
  disaster has occurred, or is likely to occur, in
  an area where the amateur service is regulated by
  the FCC, an amateur station may make
  transmissions necessary to meet essential
  communication needs and facilitate relief
  actions.
• (b) When a disaster disrupts normal
  communication systems in a particular area, the
  FCC may declare a temporary state of
  communication emergency. The declaration will set
  forth any special conditions and special rules to
  be observed by stations during the communication
  emergency. A request for a declaration of a
  temporary state of emergency should be directed
  to the EIC in the area concerned.
• (c) A station in, or within 92.6 km of, Alaska
  may transmit emissions J3E and R3E on the channel
  at 5.1675 MHz for emergency communications. The
  channel must be shared with stations licensed in
  the Alaska-private fixed service. The transmitter
  power must not exceed 150 W.

16
Who Defines An Emergency?

• 97.403 Safety of life and protection of
  property.
• No provision of these rules prevents the use by
  an amateur station of any means of
  radiocommunication at its disposal to provide
  essential communication needs in connection with
  the immediate safety of human life and immediate
  protection of property when normal communication
  systems are not available.
• Please note that this is the immediate
  protection, not potential protection.

17
Who Defines An Emergency?

• 97.405 Station in distress.
• (a) No provision of these rules prevents the use
  by an amateur station in distress of any means at
  its disposal to attract attention, make known its
  condition and location, and obtain assistance.
• (b) No provision of these rules prevents the use
  by a station, in the exceptional circumstances
  described in paragraph (a), of any means of
  radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a
  station in distress.

18
Who Defines An Emergency?

• We are authorized to operate in the amateur bands
• We are not authorized to operate outside the
  amateur bands (as amateur radio operators)
• We are not authorized to operate outside the
  amateur bands with modified amateur radio
  equipment (not FCC Certified for commercial or
  public service bands)

19
ARES Organization

• The four levels of the ARES Structure
• National (ARRL Headquarters)
• Section (Maine Section)
• District (A number of Counties)
• Local (County)

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• Section Level Organization
• Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC)
• Bryce Rumery, K1GAX
• Appointed by the Section Manager (N1KAT)
• Oversees the ARES program in Maine
• Appoints District Emergency Coordinators (DEC)
• Appoints County Emergency Coordinators (EC)
• Reports ARES activities in Maine to the ARRL

21

• District Level Organization
• District 1 (York, Cumberland, Oxford, Sagadahoc)
• DEC John Goran, K1JJS
• District 2 (Lincoln, Androscoggin, Kennebec,
  Franklin)
• DEC Bill Atkins, NT1N
• District 3 (Knox, Waldo, Hancock, Washington)
• DEC Phil Roberts, K1PAR
• District 4 (Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot,
  Aroostock)
• DEC Currently Open

22

• Local Level Organization (County)
• Emergency Coordinator (EC)
• Assistant Emergency Coordinators (AEC)
• Operations (usually considered the right hand
  man to the EC)
• Logistics
• Administration
• Liaison
• Training
• Other AECs as deemed necessary by the EC
• The local level is where most of the real
  emergency organizing gets accomplished.

23
ARES and RACES

• ARES and RACES
• Are two different organizations
• Were organized and are controlled by different
  organizations
• Have different leadership structures
• Have similar objectives and goals
• Vary in their flexibility
• Dual membership in ARES and RACES is highly
  recommended

24
ARES

• ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service)
• Organized by the ARRL
• Part of their Field Organization
• Leadership Structure
• ARRL Headquarters
• Section Emergency Coordinator
• District Emergency Coordinators
• Emergency Coordinators
• Assistant Emergency Coordinators

25
ARES

• ARES
• May respond to a communications request by any
  public service, relief or charitable organization
• Membership in ARES requires an amateur radio
  license and a desire to serve during a disaster
• May communicate with any amateur radio operator
• Has no restrictions on nets, drills or training
• Has no specific training requirements
• Is considered very flexible in response

26
RACES

• RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service)
• Originated by the Federal Government
• Administered by DHS and FEMA
• Rules defined in Part 97 (97.407)
• Controlled by State and Local EMAs
• Leadership Structure
• FEMA
• State EMA
• Local EMAs
• EMA Director
• EMA Communications Officer
• RACES Radio Officer

27
RACES

• Can only respond when activated by EMA
• Can only serve agencies specified by EMA
• RACES operators may only communicate with other
  RACES operators and others within the Federal
  Government
• May operate as RACES if amateur radio is silenced
• Has restrictions as to nets and drills
• RACES members must be registered with and
  certified by EMA directors
• EMA directors set training requirements

28
Maine ARES Emergency Communications Plan

• The Maine ARES Emergency Communications Plan
• In simplest terms, details how all of the
  counties and districts "play" together.

29
Maine ARES Emergency Communications Plan

• Details include
• General Provisions of the plan
• Authority
• Purpose
• Membership
• Local, County and District Plans
• Plan activation
• Alerting procedures
• Operation

30
Maine ARES Emergency Communications Plan

• ARES Mobilization Procedures
• Purpose
• Applicability
• Activation

31
Maine ARES Emergency Communications Plan

• Maine ARES Districts
• Operations frequencies
• Maine repeater list
• Maine repeater map
• Maine ARES contacts
• The document is available on the Maine ARES web
  site (http//www.maineares.org). Please take
  some time to read that document.

32
Served Agencies

• We need to understand
• Who our served agencies are
• How our served agencies do business
• What their communications systems consist of and
  how they are used
• What their needs are during a disaster
• How we can help to fill that need

33
Served Agencies

• We need to understand
• We are not a Rapid Response Team
• We are not First Responders
• We do not run the event or incident
• We do not talk to the media
• Refer members of the media to the on scene PIO,
  the Incident Information Center, Joint
  Information Center (JIC) or site manager

34
Basic Training Simulations

• Education and training is what supplies the
  knowledge to help you build confidence in your
  ability to execute the required steps in the
  shortest amount of time and with the minimum
  amount of wasted motion.

35
Basic Training Simulations

• What you need to do
• Contact your local ARES/RACES group and register
• Train in Emergency Communications before you are
  needed
• Learn about the Incident Command System (ICS) and
  the National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• Equip yourself

36
Basic Training Simulations

• Practical Experience
• In an actual emergency
• Expect confusion
• Be flexible
• Know your audience
• Know what they are expecting
• Be aware of your first impressions
• Your Attitude
• Your appearance

37
Simulations

• How they help
• Skill is needed for handling simultaneous
  multiple activities in an emergency
• The nature of responding to an emergency affords
  very little in the way of on-the-spot education
  and training
• It is vital that the education, training and
  practice occur ahead of time

38
Simulations

• How they help
• Coping with equipment problems, people requesting
  attention and a response, listening for a station
  with a weak and distorted signal, all the while
  trying to absorb the situation and direct a team
  effort on and off the air are real-life
  situations that can occur

39
Simulations

• How they help
• Simulations, exercises and practice nets are
  proven ways to bring together these elements in a
  non-threatening and fun environment, developing
  the composure and skills, provide analysis and
  feedback and gain new confidence to rise above
  any situation
• To better prepare ARES members for real
  emergencies

40
Hints

• You are emergency communicators, not first
  responders
• Keep your EMA ARES/RACES ID with you at all times
• Do not impede the work of professional responders
• Stay out of the "hot zone" unless instructed
• Remain flexible. You may be required to perform
  duties beyond just emergency communications
• Test your techniques before an exercise or an
  event
• If you want to experiment with a new technique or
  method, test it before you have a major exercise
  or event

41
Safety

• Safety is our primary concern
• Loss of human resources is unacceptable
• To our organization
• To our mission
• We are not a bottomless pit of human resources

42
Safety

• Safety Priorities
• Yourself
• You cant accomplish the mission if youre a
  casualty
• Your team
• Your team cant function effectively if its
  short of human resources
• Your mission
• You cant accomplish your mission in an unsafe
  environment

43
Safety

• Never be afraid to decline an assignment if you
  consider it unsafe
• If you have concerns about the safety of your
  assignment, report it to your supervisor
• Report any unsafe conditions or practices to your
  supervisor or the incident safety officer

44
Safety

• Workmans Compensation Insurance
• During the briefing for the event there should be
  mention about workmen's compensation insurance
• If it is not mentioned, ask
• Not every served agency will be able provide you
  with workmen's compensation insurance
• Feel free to decline the assignment if the lack
  of insurance bothers you
• If you are willing to participate without
  workmen's compensation insurance that's fine
• You must know in advance of going out, so you can
  make an informed decision

45
Communications Guidelines

• Two types of messages (traffic)
• Formal
• Written Traffic
• On behalf of a served agency
• Reply expected
• Informal
• Initiated by you
• May be verbal or written
• No response or reply expected

46
Formal Traffic

• Transmit traffic exactly as written
• Change nothing
• When you receive a message from a served agency,
  read it
• If you cannot read it, get clarification
• Log all formal traffic
• Received
• Transmitted

47
Formal Traffic

• Elements of formal traffic
• Who is requesting what and from whom?
• What is the requesters full name/title/agency
  location?
• What is the recipients full name/title/agency
  location?
• What are they requesting and how many do they
  want/need?
• Is it a list or single item?
• If it's a list, do all items come from the same
  place?
• If multiple sources then multiple messages.
• Is the subject the transportation of an item, or
  the acquisition of that item, or both?
• Where will it come from (not always the same as
  the location of the person receiving the
  request)?
• Where will it go to (not always the same as the
  location of the person requesting the item(s))?
• When is it needed?
• Time/date as applicable

48
Informal Traffic

• You originate the message
• May be verbal or written
• Usually does not require a response
• You control what the text of the message will be
• Plan or write down what you are going to say
  before you transmit it
• Log all informal traffic
• Transmitted
• Received

49
Traffic Tips

• In Emergency communications it is important to
  say as little as possible, yet convey all of the
  meaning
• Brevity and Clarity
• Slow Down
• Do not editorialize
• Listen
• Plain Language
• Standard ITU Phonetics
• Numbers

50
Nets

• Definitions
• NET Short for Communications Network -
  established to handle information for an event or
  incident.
• CONTROLLED NET A means of insuring orderly use
  of limited frequency resources to conduct
  communications for a scheduled event or during an
  emergency.
• NET CONTROL STATION (NCS) The person charged
  with control of information flow on the frequency
  used by a controlled net.

51
Nets

• Net Types
• Open (Informal) Nets
• Directed Nets
• Tactical
• Resource
• Traffic
• ICS Nets
• Tactical Net equals an ICS Operations Net
• Resource Net equals an ICS Logistics Net

52
Net Participation

• Net Protocols
• Legal
• you must identify at ten minute intervals during
  a conversation and in your last transmission
• Tells NCS you consider the exchange to be
  complete without having to use extra words (saves
  time)
• Fulfills all FCC identification requirements
• Customary
• Customary protocols will normally be used in long
  standing, non emergency nets
• Tactical Call Signs
• Tactical calls are used to identify a location
  during an event regardless of who is operating

53
Net Participation

• Enjoy yourself
• Prepare yourself
• Listen
• Check into the net in the mode being used by the
  net
• Follow NCS instructions
• Slow down
• Do not editorialize

54
Net Participation

• Plan your transmissions
• Check into the net when you are ready to
  participate
• Keep the NCS informed
• Identify properly
• There is no need to identify after every
  transmission
• Proper identification saves time

55
Net Participation

• Leaving a net
• Keep the NCS informed if you are leaving
• You will leave a net for one of three reasons
• Your location is closing
• Ensure that your location is closing through your
  supervisor
• You need a break and have no relief operator
• You turn the location over to another operator
• Let the NCS know who is replacing you

56
Net Roles

• NCS
• NCS Backup
• Loggers
• Site Communicators
• General Communicators
• Liaison Stations
• Listeners

57
Message Handling

• Dont speculate
• Pass the message exactly as written
• Not all tactical messages will be in an NTS
  format
• Signature is important
• Modified message forms during a disaster

58
Net Modes

• Types of nets
• CW
• Usually HF or VHF
• SSB
• Usually HF or VHF
• Digital
• May be HF, VHF or UHF
• FM Simplex
• Usually VHF or UHF
• FM Repeaters
• Usually VHF or UHF

59
Net Modes

• Requires the operator to use different skills and
  knowledge
• It is important for all operators to know the
  skills and knowledge required for different net
  modes
• If you are not familiar with a net mode, learn
  the techniques before an emergency

60
Personal Equipment

• Commonly called a Ready Kit
• Consists of
• Communications Equipment
• Tools
• Power
• Administrative Supplies
• Personal Supplies
• Never assume our served agencies will supply us
  with the equipment we need to do our job!

61
Personal Equipment

• Plan and pack your Ready Kit before an emergency
  happens
• If you are unable to pack a full Ready Kit in
  advance
• Have an inventory
• Have the supplies you need at hand
• Know where they are
• Check the contents of your Ready Kit on a regular
  basis
• Recommended on a quarterly basis

62
Personal Equipment

• Know what you need
• Make a plan
• Know where it is
• Know how to install and operate it
• Maintain your equipment
• Be sure it works before an emergency happens

63
Emergency Callouts

• A callout is the process by which ARES/RACES
  members are contacted to support served agencies
  in an emergency.
• Put together a "ready kit
• As an amateur radio emergency communicator, you
  should register with the amateurs associated with
  ARES/RACES and make arrangements to be available
  for alert and activation.

64
Emergency Callouts

• Emergency callouts are initiated by the
  ARES/RACES leadership at the request of a served
  agency
• Be ready
• Do not self activate
• You may end up in the wrong place at the wrong
  time
• You may not be needed at all

65
Emergency Callouts

• Know the callout procedures for your organization
• If you suspect a communications emergency exists
• Monitor the primary net frequencies (repeater or
  simplex)
• Be by your means of notification (phone, cell
  phone, pager, etc.)

66
Operator Stress

• Emergency communications is a very challenging
  assignment
• Stress can build upon the operators

67
Operator Stress

• Mechanisms to reduce stress are
• Focus on teamwork, strategy and results, rather
  than on worry and concern
• Learn tolerance and patience during times of
  heightened demand and activity
• Understand that we are human and there are limits
  to our performance, both individually and
  corporately
• Learning the impact that diet, beverages and
  exercise can have on relieving stress and
  increase the capacity for dealing with it
• Learn to get rest and take breaks as necessary
  for you. What works for someone else may not work
  for you

68
ARES/RACES Debriefing

• Tactical Debriefing - needed in all events
• Emotional Debriefing - needed in stressful events
• Family Briefing - needs to be covered before
  major events

69
Tactical Debriefing

• What was our mission/goal?
• Was our mission or goal clear?
• Did we accomplish our mission/goal?
• What did we do correctly?

70
Tactical Debriefing

• What did we do that was beyond expectations?
• If nothing was beyond expectations, why not?
• Were the expectations unreasonably high?
• Did we not have enthusiastic participants?
• Were we lazy?

71
Tactical Debriefing

• What items did not meet expectations?
• How can we improve on those items?
• What specific training items do we now have a
  need for?
• Other than the training items, what else needs
  improvement?
• Were there any "surprises" and why did they
  surprise us?

72
Emotional Debriefing

• Police psychologists talk a lot about "critical
  incidents," but what exactly is one?
• A critical incident is an occurrence that is one
  or more of the following a) Sudden and
  unexpected b) perceived as life-threatening c)
  overwhelming d) disrupted sense of control e)
  disrupted basic assumptions and beliefs f)
  resulted in physical and/ or emotional loss

73
Emotional Debriefing

• Physical reactions to critical incidents can
  include a) headaches b) exhaustion c) sleep
  disturbances d) appetite disruptions e)
  "nervous stomach
• Behavioral reactions to critical incidents can
  include a) hyperactivity b) being easily
  startled c) withdrawing or isolating oneself d)
  periodic underactivity

74
Emotional Debriefing

• Psychological reactions to critical incidents can
  include a) anger b) self-blame c) fear d)
  anxiety e) depression f) over sensitivity g)
  emotional numbness h) having a heightened sense
  of danger i) flashbacks j) preoccupation with
  the incident k) feeling that these emotions are
  "wimpy"

75
Family Briefing

• Our families always comes first
• They must be taken care of before anything else
• They must understand what we are doing and
  support it
• Be sure they understand what we are doing and why
• Ensure that your family understands what you are
  doing before you deploy!

76
Final Assessment

• Tests your understanding of the material
  presented
• 25 multiple choice or true/false questions
• You may refer to your manual
• Passing grade is 70 or better
• 4 points per question
• Certificates will be e-mailed, mailed or delivered

77
Final Assessment

• Print your name and call sign at the top of your
  exam
• Circle the appropriate answer on your exam
• Give your exam to me when you are ready