EMC Bulletin #387 was the last one transmitted by the California OES.

This was the last of the EMCOMM bulletins, as the time to research, and write them, fell by the wayside due to the editor's family health situation. 

How ACS personnel are informed of the status of the units the Field Teams actively support is an interesting process.

The Telecommunications Section of the Operations Support Branch at State OES has an action-response position to handle requests for OES communications resources or assistance, whether from Federal, State or local government, via the mutual aid system.

That position is the Telecommunications Duty Officer (TDO). One of the duties is a daily report of the active status of certain assets. The following is an example. Comm 60 is the mobile Hub.

Bulletin 384 described the communications vans supported by the ACS Field Teams.

Bulletin 385 described four mobile earth stations, a mobile earth station hub and VHF and UHF radio caches for law enforcement and fire response mutual aid.

This bulletin describes additional State OES rolling assets.

Bulletin 384 described some emergency support resources that the ACS program personnel deploy and support under designated circumstances with the supervision of the Telecommunications Coordinators.

Bulletin 383 covered some personnel and historical aspects.

Bulletin 382 briefly touched on the State OES earth-station program (OASIS or Operational Area Satellite Information System) and its 4 trailer-mounted earth stations.

Bulletins 382 and 383 described some of the background and history of the State OES ACS Field Teams. Now for some detail on the communications resources they help deploy and support.

Three OES Mobile Communications Units are ICS Type 1 Units, and are configured to support all types of Emergency Management communications operations. These 2-wheel drive units are built on 1-ton van chassis, and are equipped with a 25'-30' pneumatic mast to support antennas.

For the licensed FCC Amateur Radio Operators that make up most EMCOMM Units, the idea of supplying telephone service may seen 'off key' or contrary to what they want to do. Yet, as a matter of fact, units like the State OES ACS field teams are made up predominantly of FCC Amateur License holders - probably 90-95%. And this is typical of RACES units which serve governments that also have field transportable units.

Perhaps one has to experience the results of providing effective communications, albeit telephone over the satellite link or microwave, before one really grasps the significance of, and reward, of doing just that.