In other areas of the country --- possibly with completely different government agencies --- volunteers whether fire, search and rescue or communications, report to a sponsoring agency before responding to an event. There may be little opportunity for Amateurs to self-activate if there is a government agency assigned responsibility in that area.
In some areas of the country volunteers call out their own operators without having a "higher authority" to which they report in order to be activated or mobilized.
In other areas of the country --- possibly with completely different government agencies --- volunteers whether fire, search and rescue or communications, report to a sponsoring agency before responding to an event. There may be little opportunity for Amateurs to self-activate if there is a government agency assigned responsibility in that area.
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Sometimes those who plan and execute an exercise worry about it going astray of its goal and possibly failing. Don't!
Plan it, but don't be concerned about it "failing"! An exercise should never be pulled off flawlessly and be expected or reported as perfect. Possibly a fire drill, but not a disaster exercise. It is a training vehicle for the unusual, the unexpected, the extraordinary. Each one should result in improved plans, systems, procedures, knowledge, capabilities, and preparedness. If such be the case, then no exercise is EVER a failure. In emergency communications there are times when the only reliable communication path is via a relay station. Howard Shepherd, Manager, MacArthur Relay and frequent Alternate Net Control for the California Emergency Services Net, offers a perspective of how Official Relay stations serve a vital purpose:
Let's face it, for the fact that it is: some governments don't really understand about Emergency Communications Units; they don't really understand how to work with and utilize volunteers, including hams, some of whom are professional communicators.
In an emergency the fire chief, police chief and mayor don't go to a home and run things from there, but to the emergency operations center or designated command post.
The following DEMOB (demobilization - pronounced "demobe") CRITIQUE SHEET is from the experience of Bill Pennington, WA6SLA, OES Region IV Radio Officer and ARRL DEC for the Central Sierra Counties:
From an article by Mike Guerin, Assistant Director, OES Emergency Operations and Training in the December Utility Policy Committee publication "Update":
People sometimes get "fed up" with the idea of training. "Who needs it", is the phrase I hear from time to time from those outside of RACES. Well, we all benefit from it, but perhaps we need to paint a clearer picture of why, and its benefits.
In a comment by David Fowler regarding Fire Service response, the following appeared: This is a topic we hope you don't experience, but if you do, perhaps this material may assist.
Experience dictates that, in a major disaster, communications will fail due to direct effects of the disaster itself such as fire, earthquake, flood, etc. Different government entities often have radios fixed on different frequencies but they cannot talk with each other. At the time of the Loma Prieta earthquake, near San Francisco, it became apparent that many dedicated emergency systems had not been properly
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RACES BulletinsCA State OES began the Bulletins in the early 1950's to assist agencies and radio operators to become more familiar with RACES. They were issued periodically until 1985, at which time they began to be issued weekly over voice and digital radio systems of Amateur Radio and in print. Originally intended for California, increased demand, and a 1988 request by the ARRL for national distribution, led to their eventual worldwide distribution. Archives
December 1994
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