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- 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!
-