TO: Interested Radio Amateurs FROM: N6MWD (@K3MC) DATE: 16 January 1990 RE: Recommendations from the Earthquake After the Loma Prieta Earthquake (17 October 1989), several critiques were held discussing the role of amateur radio in the relief efforts. Based on the critiques, the written material from the SVECS newsletter, and the material from the Emergency Response Institute, the following represents a compilation of the recommendations made. (Since this material represents items from a variety of sources, they do not necessarily reflect my personal views.) RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH EQUIPMENT/PHYSICAL LAYOUT hams should be kept aware of the current field requirements before accepting a field assignment use simple to operate radios for all primary functions all equipment must be tested and ready to operate at all times HF equipment must have a broad-band antenna (10-80 M) separate power supplies must be available for each 12 volt equipment setup each power supply must be capable of running more than one setup, if necessary cables with plugs in the line must be permanently installed and be interchangeable extra antennas, with permanently installed cables, preferably broadband (discone type) should be available for all band operations need office-type chairs for each operating position physical & acoustic barriers between operating positions are needed a water marker/grease board should be provided at each position to show status of all activity on the frequency being used (which call at which site, shelter, etc.) a board should be assigned to show status of overall operations computer must have turn-key software for all operations, packet, work processing, etc. We need SIMPLE to use forms to log resource needs and reports install grab-bars at strategic locations to hand onto during EARTHQUAKE and aftershocks! double check antenna drops for efficiency and continuing proper working conditions RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH HEALTH AND WELFARE TRAFFIC H&W concerns should have been addressed more pointedly as an important interface with the public after first few days, communications are essentially performed by commercial services again--hams can play an important role by handling H&W operators at shelters could originate some traffic without impacting their primary purpose packet radio is tailor-made for dealing with concerns re: written traffic and H&W; packet turned out to be the most efficient means of delivering H&W traffic RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH INTERAGENCY COMMUNICATION communications provided were absolutely essential, but not always the radio kind--it would have helped if more coordination and planning between Red Cross Chapters were to occur before, not during, an event pre-arrange nets before the disaster (e.g., set up nets with agencies such as hospitals, Salvation Army, etc.) RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH JAMMERS develop contingency plans to cope with frequency jammers get organized T-hunters in your area RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP OFFICIALS confusing to hams in the field to see a "leader" not doing leadership roles so clarify who is in charge managers need to make decisions with consultation of those in the field when ECs ask for mutual aid, they need to accept level of guidance from DEC and staff above in order to get the big picture we should accept the fact that a small number of highly trained individuals will become the teachers/leaders for the rest ECs should monitor other ECs--don't turn off your radio just because your city isn't affected identify before a disaster a list of people able to serve as supervisors or managers (they are often leadership folks, but not always)--it is necessary to rotate managers through shifts in order to avoid overtaxing any particular individual supervisors should oversee an entire operation during a particular shift--someone focusing on the overall operation can see what portion can be terminated (and how), which projects are problem areas, and ensure coordination between projects those overseeing the operation must also consult with, or be in touch with, those on the line--people working in the field are often more aware than management of issues such as under/overstaffing, equipment needs, etc., but the information provided by those working in the field must be balanced with the views of those more distant to the operation people don't have to like each other in order to work with each other--parties with disagreements should wait until after the disaster to resolve them since it is likely that the strain of being involved in the disaster is affecting their perceptions if disagreements are interfering with the running of the operation and the parties involved can not reach resolution on their own, then leadership must help them devise a solution (it may be short-term) with the good of the group or the operation in mind include more than ECs and AECs in decision making before the disaster such as OES, repeater sponsors, etc. RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE ROLE OF PACKET put out QSTs on packet about what frequencies are being used for H&W, for Resource, for Tactical, etc. put out QSTs on packet in the form of status updates hard to decipher manuals for packet during a disaster--have drills involving packet with other people's system cities need more information about our skills--statistical information desired by many cities would have been great to go via packet on a pre-set form ARES/Data would have been useful for keeping track of personnel and resources set up a packet network at all EOCs, RC Chapters, and other key locations--should operate 24 hours/day network would operate with dedicated computers, software, printers, TNCs, radios, and antennas--most would have emergency power a standard needs to be written such that each location will have the same familiar equipment for ease of operation by a variety of Ops software should be written to provide printed messages automatically, w/o operator intervention when we have such a network running, we can let it run itself to a large extent, thus saving our Ops for duty on the critical voice nets much of the time and hassle of setting up and debugging a packet network would be avoided if the packet hardware was in place and ready to go at all times in an emergency, we can make good use of written message traffic in addition to the function that ARES/Data provides packet is wonderfully adapted to handling very high volumes of H&W during emergencies, but probably should be used for tactical information handling we must have more drills using packet packet has definite use in a disaster mode but we need to better determine the time that it should be put into effect there should be "universal" software in an AUTOEXEC.BAT file for "idiot-proof" setup there should be battery powered laptop computers, TNCs (TAPR II only), and transceivers (cables are essential) a perfect portable packet station will have a 12V plain-paper printer connected using standard 8.5" x 11" paper BB, a multiple connect bulletin board, could be used for tactical message traffic RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE USE OF REPEATERS/RADIOS we need more emergency repeaters put into the field the use of portable repeater systems would allow us to put a repeater back on the air in a shorter period of time need a back up battery at repeater sites confirm that the area where the radios are located in EOC are attached to the building's backup generator maybe have MOU with other repeater groups so other groups understand what/how we do stuff in a disaster the ability of the amateur community to respond to these events lies in separating repeater sites enough so that several might survive another quake RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH RESOURCE NET CONTROL we need to train members to keep mouth shut unless reporting serious injury after earthquake say three things at beginning of net--urge ARES members to follow city emergency plan, encourage all to go to city simplex frequency, and do damage assessment survey around your area after checking that you are safe resource net control or resource manager should give a status QST on the hour, cutting back to even numbered hours as traffic decreases--the subject is ham radio resource needs, not broadcast news imperative that a resource net is activated and that other high level repeaters should be canvassed for their availability either give Resource Net Control a back up person or designate someone else to periodically go out on various repeaters to announce resource needs and the frequency to which volunteers should tune each operation must make sure to designate a couple of hams to go out periodically on some of the repeaters to give a status update on conditions prepare a grid sheet before a disaster that enables a Resource Net Control to fill in the blanks--marked it off into time slots, with numbered blank lines on which to put names and phone numbers of the volunteers, and with space for any additional information RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH OBTAINING/DISTRIBUTING RESOURCES better coordination of housing for hams coming out of area needed may need two hams at each station--one to serve as runner and one to serve as the ham--yet some complained that two hams were overkill if hams knew where they were going, equipment needs could be defined don't "roll over" hams without telling resource--if hams are staying another shift, tell resource if using 220 as tactical, helpful to have resource with a 220 frequency available so novices can volunteer hams should be provided to commercial radio stations operating the Emergency Broadcast system hams should be provided to power company's corporation yard dispatch and local water company's dispatch hams should be provided to schools if the disaster strikes during class hours EC pulling telephone tree should be given specifics about what is needed in terms of resources a shadow should be dispatched to USGS to pass crucial information--may or may not be used by the cities but those in the mountains of the area are very dependent upon information concerning aftershocks, slides, etc. anytime a request is made for hams, the party accepting the request must clarify what the job entails--requesting resources means defining what is needed in terms of equipment, clothing, and time hams should be told to bring whatever is known to be required and to meet in a staging area--an on-scene coordinator will then make specific assignments during a shift after he/she sees what is available RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH USE OF TACTICAL CALLS use tactical calls and ID with ham call only when needed to fulfill license requirements RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH TERMINATION OF OPERATION need disengagement plan right after crises begins--need to plan this rather than waiting until we're tired resumption of electrical and telephone service should be one of the first factors that tell us it is time to go home RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH HANDLING TRAFFIC written traffic is quite necessary as we often deal with bureaucracies--verbal messages are sometimes ignored a very simple message form (preferably provided by the agency served) would be extremely helpful message received time is important lots of rumors going around--occasional truthful QSTs would help we need more drills involving passing traffic RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH TRAINING THE UNTRAINED the untrained can be useful but should be placed, if possible, in lower stress situations or in a position where they can receive some on the job training the untrained can be used as you go along, but put only trained ARES personnel in high visibility positions establish the practice of having hams check in at a staging area for assignment and briefing prior to responding to their assignment--this provides a consistent briefing and eases the difficulty of making assignments to the many hams who responding keep with you your repeater frequencies, control codes, rosters, handbooks, up-to-date list of city simplex frequencies/hospital net frequencies, up-to-date ID cards, your city emergency plans, and maps for your area RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNED WITH TURNOVER (SHIFT CHANGE) need missing links between shift changes--need enough time for shifts to do turnover or for a supervisor to give the information out to each new shift change relief should be present at least 30 minutes before shift ends in order to do turnover rejoice!