ARES Program Update to the BostonARC, March 20, 2003

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ARES Program Update to theBostonARC, March 20,
2003

• Michael P. Neilsen, W1MPN
• Eastern Mass (EMa)
• Section Emergency Coordinator

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Presentation Overview

• Our perspective on reacting to war and terrorism,
  and protecting our community
• Review of the Program since I spoke to you last
  in October 2001
• Opportunity to meet new challenges to assist
  agencies
• Questions and Discussion

3
Our Perspective

• Events affect us the same as other citizens
• Secure home first. Brief your family
• Shelter in Place concept best defense
• Participate in training and complete preparations
  before the incident occurs
• Go about your lives normally

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Perspective (contd)

• If something happens
• Respond if/when requested. It is high honor to
  be ready even if not called
• We are not first responders. Stay clear
• If home stay there, if not, return home
• Conduct operations from home first Check in to
  RACES repeater and help where possible

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Perspective (contd)

• If something happens(contd)
• Operations then branch out from RACES repeaters
  to other nets and frequencies
• Commence other local/district operations from
  there
• Stated in new policy that appears on the EMa ARES
  site http//ares.ema.arrl.org

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ARES Operations

• Classified into two areas to better fit with
  Incident Command System (ICS)
• EMa ARES In-disaster ICS fire suppression,
  damage control, evacuation, search and rescue
• Augment RACES (if mobilized) with tactical and
  record communications capability for Public
  Safety, and Emergency Management
• Substitute for RACES on as needed, no-notice
  basis. Operators are normally well dispersed
  around Section

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ARES Ops (contd)

• Communications
• Tactical Point-to-point communications over
  short or long distances with own power.
• Record
• use National Traffic System (NTS ) to pass
  specially formatted messages called radiograms
• accurately pass information or orders, agency
  official to agency official by ARES personnel
• Generally short term engagements
• Some ARES leadership is trained in Incident
  Command System (ICS) used by Public Safety

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ARES Ops (contd)

• EMa ARES Post-disaster ICS recovery,
  restoration, clean-up, and human welfare
• Generally longer term and on-site
• At behest of an agency which the ARRL has a
  current Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
• The list is on the National ARRL website
• Local familiarization with the agency is
  important
• Exercise together if at possible
• Record communications (NTS) between agency
  leadership at agency locations if requested

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EMa ARES Organization
SMK9HI
WMA SECK1VSG
STATE RACESN1CPE
SECW1MPN
ASEC/SKYWARN/SS DEC, KD1CY
R2 RACES/DEC WA1OEZ
R1 RACES/DEC KA8SCP
Boston DECKB1EKN
Norfolk/ Bristol DEC/Training DEC W3EVE
NS DEC Vacant
Midlsex DECN1BDA
CC/ISL DECWQ1O
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Leadership Contact

• EC (town/city, or club) Waltham 146.64
• DEC (e.g. Metro district KB1EKN or designate)
  Waltham 146.64
• SEC (W1MPN) 146.64, 146.61, 53.31, 448.175 IRLP
• Region 1 DEC (KA8SCP) if necessary 53.69 FM
  Simplex
• State EOC (headed by N1CPE) can do some
  coordinating if necessary 53.31
• Move off to frequencies in published plans

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Individual Checklist

• Stay home or return home
• Secure family before attempting EmComm
• Obtain the latest news and any official warning
  information from public media
• EMa website http//ares.ema.arrl.org for updates
  and instructions (K9HI is my backup)
• Start getting your gear ready for next phase

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Checklist (contd)

• Activate your home station
• Save H/H for later
• Check in to RACES net, be ready to move off
  according to your local frequency plan
• If no NCS, assume net control until relieved
  (similar to SKYWARN self-activiation)
• Default to simplex output frequency (check
  if w/PL) when repeater goes down
• Move traffic off to other frequencies

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Checklist (contd)

• Practice brevity, allow gaps for breaks, pass
  quality information, squash rumors
• Check into local team/club net for further
  information/instructions from EC, or DEC
• NCS, team/club leadership guard RACES frequency
  throughout incident
• Fill communications gaps or provide assistance if
  public safety are impacted by a communication
  failure

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Our Challenges

• Getting and staying organized
• Sending information regularly up the chain, so
  it can become part of the bigger picture
• Getting assistance to those agencies which need
  us during the In-disaster phase in a timely
  fashion
• Sustaining operations over a prolonged period

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Challenges (contd)

• Preparing and organizing for the assisting
  agencies in the Post-disaster phase
• Deploying volunteers when requested
• Assembling any ARES Material Assistance Teams
  (ARESMAT) required for our section
• Briefing and equipping those teams
• In-processing any hams from without EMa needed to
  sustain long term operations

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What can Clubs Do?

• Offer repeaters for RACES/ARES/SKYWARN use
• Offer NCS support to nets
• Encourage club participation in
• ARECC training
• Participate in District and Section-wide
  Exercises
• EmComm during Field Day
• Build Emergency Communication Teams
• Outreach to towns and strategic partners
• Provide a liaison to EMa ARES as an appointed
  ARES EC

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EMa ARES Activities

• Since the Sept 11, 2001 deployment
• Peabody Workshop, 2/2/02, 75 attendees
• 3/25/02 2001 Make-up SET, involving many EMA
  personnel their RACES counterparts, and MEMA
  activities
• Standby mobilization during the 02 Marathon
• Implementation of emergency communication
  activities during last years Field Day weekend

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EMa ARES Activities (contd)

• Since 9/11/02 (contd)
• Outreach program at numerous flea markets, and
  the bi-annual division hamfest meeting in
  Boxboro
• Refining and updating the database
• Refining the ID and responder policy
• Workshop at Sturdy Memorial Hospital
• Annual 2002 SET held on 11/9/02

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EMa ARES Activities (contd)

• Since 9/11/02 (contd)
• Launching new EMa ARES website Jan 03
• Leadership outreach on regional nets
• 2/9/03 Winter Communication EOC exercise
• Standby mobilization during the Presidents Day
  Storm a.k.a the 03 Blizzard

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EMa ARES Accomplishments

• Stand alone training standards that can be
  offered universally to interested agencies
• Better integration with the Incident Command
  System (ICS)
• Better resource for Public Safety and EMAs
• Exercising all districts of the section

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ARES Accomplishments (contd)

• Workshop program back on track
• Better integration with ARECC program
• Outreach to other public service and public
  safety agencies
• One Example Very successful effort in
  reestablishing relationship with the American Red
  Cross

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ARES Accomplishments (contd)

• New robust website to serve members
• Overhaul of the EC staff to address leadership
  issues
• Exciting changes to the ARES leadership staff
• N1VSJ becomes first Emerg Ops DEC
• N1BDA new Middlesex DEC
• KB1EKN relieves N1VUX as Metro DEC

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Program Contributors

• SKYWARN - KD1CY
• Exercise consultant WQ1O
• Field preparedness WQ1O and N1VSJ
• Web hosting and tech support - K9HI
• My cabinet, the DECs KD1CY, WQ1O, W3EVE,
  N1VSJ, N1BDA, KB1EKN
• Club assistance EMa ACC, N1DHW
• ARES Alumnus/BARC member N1VUX

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Opportunities

• The program emphasis will be to continue to
  provide well trained, well qualified operators to
  agencies
• Reach out to agencies of interest
• Salvation Army operations are of high interest
• Better integration with MARS
• Provide communication nodes to local citizen
  response groups. Civilian interoperability.

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Challenges

• Our primary challenge is to adapt to the new
  world of communications interoperability,
  providing much needed help to agencies and
  keeping our members interested
• Ham bands are still the last link that can be
  used when the communication infrastructure is
  severely impacted, probably early on

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Challenges (contd)

• New environment will feature many communications
  systems with varying survivability, and requiring
  additional operators in time of crisis
• Hams should become communication technicians,
  able to operate many types of systems
• Our organizational strengths must evolve to
  attract new and younger members

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Challenges (contd)

• Update the Training Program
• ARECC integration
• Workshops
• Exercises
• Interoperability project to transition our
  program over the next two years

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Questions and Discussion