ARRL National Emergency Response Committee Findings and Recommendations

1. ARRL National Emergency Response Committee Findings and Recommendations Frank Piper KI8GW John W. Tipka W8UL

2. If “lessons learned “are not followed by “behaviors changed” then the lessons have not been learned at all.

3. “The achievements of volunteer Amateur Radio communicators in times of disaster cannot be commended too highly….Amateurs have served in the extraordinary disasters of the 21st century with great personal courage, skill, and generosity.” “However, the ARRL as a national organization could have done better and must do better in the future.”

4. How Did We Get Here? • Terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 • Florida hurricanes in 2004 • Gulf coast catastrophe 2005 – Katrina and Rita hurricanes • Earthquake and tsunami in Indian Ocean • Forest fires in western United States • Major flooding in numerous US rivers

5. Where We Need To Be! • Eliminate the weaknesses in our ability to respond effectively and efficiently to any size disasters. • Use all available infrastructures for routine operations. • Keep technical training and proficiency in step with new technological developments.

6. Where We Need To Be! • Establish, improve and maintain coordination and liaison with organizations and agencies. • Recruit and train more volunteers to become qualified communicators.

7. Facing the Facts • We are not first or even second responders and the “big dog” in emergency communications. • Sophisticated emergency telecommunications have been speeded up by public service agencies. • We need to catch up with technological developments and become better organized, more capable, and quicker on the scene after our help is requested.

8. Facing the Facts • Forget about how we have always done it and begin thinking outside of the box. • Timeliness is the key issue. We must arrive before our window of usefulness closes. • Our perceived dependency on emergency communications as a reason for amateur radio to exist means that we must now perform more quickly and smarter with new techniques and new leadership.

9. Committee Recommendations • Develop a tutorial for installation, configuration, and use of Winlink2000 for e-mail. • Create a national volunteer database. • Investigate use of universal nationally recognized credentials.

10. Committee Recommendations • Improve working relationships with national-level served agencies. • Train staff in the Incident Command System (ICS) and National Incident Management System (NIMS) • Look at disaster vulnerabilities of Sections outside of the continental United States. • Initiate a Major Disaster Emergency Coordinator (MDEC) function.

11. Let’s Get Started in the Ohio SectionNOW!

12. Messaging Implementation • High perpetual priority to enhance training in basic message handling and voice procedure. • Establish semi-automatic networks alongside of voice and CW nets. • Nets use all frequencies and modes of message transport available – NTS-D, Winlink 2000, WiFi, RTTY, CW, etc.. • Continuing education course for installation, configuration, and use of Winlink 2000 system.

13. Formal Written Messaging • Formal message handling is a important part of emergency communications. • Today’s rapid throughput and high accuracy of Internet communications make the challenge for Amateur Radio messaging logarithmically greater. • Tactical vs Formal: e.g. voice on VHF/UHF FM vs transmission of detailed lists of shelter occupants. • Three components –origination, transport, delivery

14. Messaging Networks • Manual – at least two operators, but for long distance, additional operators needed for transport phase. • Semi-automatic – manual origination but automatic systems for transport and delivery phases. • Semi-automatic – high speed, greater accuracy, specific and detailed addresses, and need equipment at origination phase.

15. Messaging Networks • NTS-Digital and Winlink 2000 are examples of automatic and semi-automatic networks. • Semi-automatic networks should be a priority for surviving and mutual assistance resources, but not to the exclusion of voice networks. • High priority real-time communications require use of real-time mode networks, such as voice. • The greatest value to the customer is provided when all available communications networks are used.

16. Suggested Messaging Improvements • Message priorities – set outgoing priority higher than incoming priority for inquiry messages into the affected area. • Add e-mail addresses to radiograms. • Shelter occupants be permitted full use of health and welfare messaging. • Where available, use Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Vehicles (ECV) or trailers outfitted with high speed communications equipment.

17. Validate Message Handling • Committee recommended that ARRL Hq staff work with NTS Area Staff to design and implement nationwide messaging drills and exercises to measure accuracy, efficiency and efficacy of the National Traffic System. • Message accuracy is the key objective to be reached.

18. Winlink 2000 Tutorial • A locally developed tutorial for Winlink 2000 installation and configuration in text format is available at: http://www.ohioaresdist7.org/tutorial.html • A locally developed Powerpoint tutorial that parallels the text-based tutorial is also available at the URL above.

19. National ARES Database • Be prepared to send large numbers of well-qualified communicators to affected areas. • Listing of ARES operators who are trained, equipped, and prepared for immediate deployment outside of their home Sections. • To be used only when disaster requires more communications than can be provided by the local resources in the affected area. Does not undercut Section ARES. • Funded by a Corporation for National and Community Service grant.

20. National ARES Database • Volunteers listed through Field Organization chain-of-command. • Listing in database from recommendation of home Section Manager (SM). SM may choose to delegate to SEC or STM. • Volunteers must be self-reliant and self-sufficient as persons and as Amateur Radio operators.

21. National ARES Database - Benefits • Timely and orderly alerting and deployment of experienced, well-trained operators. • Quick response to served agencies need • Eliminates “make it up as you go along” • Reliance of a single database rather than those created by individuals or other entities.

22. National ARES Database-Creation • Volunteers listed through Field Organization chain-of-command. • Listing in database from recommendation of home Section Manager (SM). SM may choose to delegate to SEC or STM. • Volunteers must be self-reliant and self-sufficient as persons and as Amateur Radio operators. • Formal training is required.

23. National ARES Database Training Requirements • ARRL ARECC Level I (online w/fee) • ARC Adult CPR/First Aid Basics combined course • ARC Introduction to Disaster Services (online) • FEMA IS-100 (Introduction to Incident Command System) • FEMA IS-200 (ICS for Single Resource and Initial Action Incidents) • IS-700 (National Incident Management System) • All courses except first two are free

24. ARES Mutual Aid/Mutual Assistance Teams • Formal, written agreement with adjacent Sections • Build and maintain relationships with adjacent Sections before disasters occur. • A paper on mutual aid agreements included as Appendix 3 to the NERPC report.

25. Relationships with Served Agencies Organizational relationships with served agencies lie at the heart of Amateur Radio emergency communications at the Section level and the national level . Agreements entered into with served agencies by the national-level ARRL may have consequences and implications at the Section level for the individual ARES volunteers.

26. Served Agencies at the Section Level • Who serves governmental agencies? RACES or ARES? • EMA • American Red Cross, Salvation Army • VOADs-Southern Baptist, Mennonite, REACT, etc • NWS Skywarn • Local police, fire, and hospitals • CERT • Our adversaries or not?

27. Training/Recruitment Issues • Personal time investment in NIMS requirements of FEMA training and ARRL training. • Meet our formal requirements or else attitude on part of served agencies • Need to insure the “McGyver” approach to amateur radio is not lost if we conform to the establishment. • Public information presentations at club meetings, hamfests, and conventions. • Effective universal training materials such as video aimed at the Amateur Radio operator not active in emergency communications.

28. Section-level Suggestions • Swiss Army Knife” electronic publication for ARES and NTS – links to documents and resources. • Tips and Tricks – Hints and Kinks • Handbooks for Emergency Coordinators and District Emergency Coordinators that apply locally. • Appointments for Assistant SEC, Assistant DEC, and Assistant EC’s vice Official Emergency Station (OES)

29. Action Items at ARRL HQ Level • Credentialing and Chain-of-Command • Regional Coordination • Assistance to Distant Sections • International cross-border coordination • Relationships with Served Agencies • Served Agencies and Unified Command • Spectrum Protection

30. Disaster Preparedness A Moving Target • Nothing is set in stone – no permanent answers for all circumstances and hazards. • Our professional expertise in emergency communications is growing. • We need top-notch leadership and guidance

31. “If lessons learned are not followed by ‘behaviors changed’ then the lessons have not been learned at all.”