XPost: rec.radio.info

********************************************
The ARES Letter

Published by the American Radio Relay League ********************************************

July 19, 2023

Editor: Rick Palm, K1CE <k1ce@arrl.net>

IN THIS ISSUE

- Skamania County (Washington) ARES® Responds to Tunnel 5 Fire
- Amateur Radio Supports Oregon Disaster Airlift Response Team
- ARRL Simulated Emergency Test Ahead: Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) Prepares for Nuclear Drill
- Notes from the Minnesota MS-150 Comms Support Effort
- Part 2: Current Hospital Nets
- ARES® Resources
- ARRL Resources

SKAMANIA COUNTY (WASHINGTON) ARES® RESPONDS TO TUNNEL 5 FIRE

On the morning of July 2, Skamania County (WA) ARES Emergency
Coordinator Kevin Widener, KE7IN <kevin.widener@gmail.com>, was on his
deck and noticed smoke blowing above the Columbia River. He drove a
quarter of a mile to investigate and saw that flames from burning trees
were already above the bluff 1,200 feet above the river. Almost
immediately, the small community of Underwood, Washington, was under
Level 3 "GO NOW!" evacuation orders. The threat was real, and the
community's safety became the top priority. The fire became known as
the Tunnel 5 fire. By July 4, a Type 2 Incident Management Team was
deployed to manage firefighting land and air resources that came from
all over the Pacific Northwest.

Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the Skamania County Sheriff,
Summer Scheyer, called upon ARES to staff two positions to lend their
support at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Their crucial responsibilities included fielding phone calls from concerned residents
and ensuring Sheriff Scheyer remained informed by closely monitoring
social media and firefighting efforts. For 4 intense days, ARES members dutifully manned the EOC, providing vital assistance during a time of
crisis. By the time the fire was contained, five residences were lost,
several more sustained significant damage, and several other structures
were destroyed. Quick response from the local volunteer fire department
and firefighting aircraft prevented scores of other homes from being
destroyed.

Meanwhile, another ARES member received a request on the morning of
July 3 to deploy to a small community located west of Underwood. The
area had suffered significant damage to telephone landlines, leaving
some residents without any means of communication. To address this
urgent need, a radio station was swiftly established at the local
school. This improvised solution ensured emergency access to dispatch
services, should the need arise. ARES operators showcased their resourcefulness, stepping up to provide citizens with a lifeline during
this time when telephone landline access was unavailable. Once the
landline was repaired, the radio station was deactivated, marking the successful conclusion of this deployment.

Skamania County ARES comprises a dedicated team of 11 amateur radio
operators, all united by their unwavering commitment to the community's
safety. Many of these operators had previously been activated during
the devastating 2017 Eagle Creek fire, which ravaged over 50,000 acres
of the pristine Columbia River Gorge. Their tireless efforts did not go unnoticed, as the Sheriff and other community leaders expressed their
gratitude and appreciation for our ARES team's invaluable contributions
during the Tunnel 5 fire. -- Kevin Widener, KE7IN/WQWI878 <kevin.widener@gmail.com>, Emergency Coordinator, Skamania County,
Washington ARES (W6TQF) <http://skamania-prepare.org/ares/>

AMATEUR RADIO SUPPORTS OREGON DISASTER AIRLIFT RESPONSE TEAM

Combine 2,850 pounds of donated food, 20 cargo flights by 17 general
aviation pilots flying over 8,800 air miles, eight airfields, and 44
amateur radio operators, and one can have an effective full-scale
exercise. On July 8, and 9, 2023, the Oregon Disaster Airlift Response
Team (ODART), a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, activated volunteer
pilots from Oregon, Washington, and California to simulate what a
response effort might be like when the next full-length megathrust
rupture of the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) off the west coast takes
place.

The impact of that CSZ earthquake and tsunami incident will be severe,
with widespread failures of electricity, cellular and landline phone
systems, commercial radio, Internet services, and (yes, even) amateur
radio repeaters. Remote coastal communities will be cut off from food
and medical supplies. However, general aviation pilots can utilize
small landing strips to deliver cargo of 150 to ~400 pounds per flight,
and are expected to be a valuable resource for local and tribal
emergency managers.

ODART planners understand the value that amateur radio communications
bring to assist them with their disaster response mission. Amateur
radio volunteers practice with the pilots' group by transmitting
airfield conditions, sea state (for amphibious aircraft pilots),
current weather and fuel supplies on hand at airfields, relaying
roadway and bridge conditions gathered by aircraft during overflights
of impacted areas, and tracking each aircraft (arrival time, cargo
quantity, departure time, destination, etc.).

The July 2023 exercise involved ARES, AuxComm, and ACS groups from 10
different counties across a 300-mile footprint, each standing up a
Winlink station which, per the exercise scenario, could only connect to
an RMS located east of the Cascade Mountain range.

We know that real-world events can affect exercises, and this event encountered three. Cargo flights between Walla Walla, Washington, and
Aurora, Oregon, had to fly around smoke from the Tunnel 5 fire [See the
related story in this issue -- Ed.] burning in Skamania County,
Washington. One ODART aircraft experienced avionics problems and
returned to its home base at Hillsboro, Oregon, without cargo (or a
working aviation radio in controlled airspace). Another ODART aircraft
was enroute from Bend, Oregon, to La Grande, Oregon, when a Winlink
message was received from Tyson Brooks, W7BL, who was staffing the
radio station at the La Grande airport, notifying the ODART "Air Boss"
of the closure of both runways due to the crash landing of a World War
II vintage T6 aircraft <https://www.lagrandeobserver.com/news/local/no-injuries-reported-in-aircraft-incidents-at-la-grande-union-county-airport/article_e94fd2da-1e0b-11ee-8479-37b208976821.html>.
This information was quickly relayed to the amateur radio station at
the Bend Airport, and the pilot was successfully recalled using
aviation radio frequencies.

According to the "Air Boss" for the exercise, commercial pilot Jim
Origliosso, KK7ILC, both the pilots and communications volunteers did
an excellent job. The food delivered via the ODART cargo flights went
to food banks close to the delivery airports. Food bank supplies are
sparse this time of year, so the food bank directors were thrilled to
receive the airlifted cargo.

Lessons learned in this exercise included the need for a better
structure for VHF/UHF radio communications between the airfield flight
line and the Winlink radio station, additional resiliency and testing
of airport antenna options, establishing Winlink tactical call signs
based on the unique FAA ID of the airfields, and the need for
developing several custom Winlink forms.

In an exercise scheduled as part of the International ShakeOut Day <https://www.shakeout.org/> on October 19, 2023, ODART will practice coordinated overflights of roadways and bridges in the impact areas to
gather situational awareness of simulated damage. Amateur radio will
again be used to relay these reports via Winlink to transportation
officials.

Volunteer general aviation groups with missions similar to ODART exist
in most areas of the country, so if your Emcomm group isn't currently
helping one with their communications, you may want to reach out. --
Steve Aberle, WA7PTM, Assistant Director, ARRL Northwestern Division

ARRL SIMULATED EMERGENCY TEST AHEAD: MONTGOMERY COUNTY

(PENNSYLVANIA) PREPARES FOR NUCLEAR DRILL

Every 2 years, the Limerick Nuclear Generating Station (LGS) conducts a
drill in coordination with the Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Department of Public Safety. The drill is evaluated by representatives
from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). Montgomery County
activates its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in Eagleville,
Pennsylvania, as well as the 20 Municipal EOCs that lie within the LGS
10 Mile Radius Emergency Protection Zone (EPZ). Since the 1980s,
Montgomery County ARES RACES (MCAR) has consistently deployed its
operators to the County and Municipal EOCs and provided primary,
confirming or When All Else Fails communications between the County and Municipal EOCs. The presence of an Amateur Radio operator in each EOC
appears to be a "checklist" item for the FEMA and PEMA evaluators. MCAR contemplates utilizing its AA3E 2-meter and 70-centimeter repeaters and
with permission, the Pottstown Amateur Radio Club's 2-meter repeater
for FM and digital modes, an evolving local MESH RF and tunnel network
as well as HF voice communications. This year's Drill is scheduled to
take place on September 26th and will serve as MCAR's Simulated
Emergency Test (the ARRL SET).

At MCAR's July meeting, Emergency Coordinator (EC) Chuck Farrell,
W3AFV, initiated the drill location assignment process and Assistant EC
Rocky Pistilli, N3FKR, conducted a presentation reviewing Fldigi setup
and operations. The meeting was conducted in person at the County EOC
and via Zoom. Attendees updated and tested MCAR go-kits as well as
their own laptops and handhelds. For more information about MCAR, visit AA3E.org <http://aa3e.org/>. -- Robert Alan Griffiths, NE3I, MCAR PIO

NOTES FROM THE MINNESOTA MS-150 COMMS SUPPORT EFFORT

We received lots of compliments from staff, leadership and more than
1,000 riders regarding our support for the MS-150, a 150-mile, 2-day
bike event in Minnesota on June 10-11, 2023. Peter Corbet, KD8GBL, and
I were assigned as part of the SAG (Support and Gear) van operation at
or near the information tents on two of the routes. In between radio
calls we tried out a paper version of using tickets for missing helmets
and cell phones. We collected backstory and phone numbers for these. We
were 4/4 on lost cell phones and 1/2 on helmets--this was good practice
for family reunification. I am promoting an application, OSTicket <https://osticket.com/>, for this in software. One of our big events in
2022 had nine missing spectator/family member reports.

Our close partnership with volunteer motorcycle riders paid a lot of
dividends. They could manage tricky intersections and hidden road
crossings and be "first on scene" for crashes. This is one area in
which hams can bring value to Public Safety and Emergency Managers --
we work well with other volunteer groups; better than anyone else.
Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) keeps strongly hinting at this <https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/whole_community_dec2011__2.pdf>
in training courses and on calls.

Matt Genelin, N0YNT, gets credit for an instant best practice on SAG
vehicle door marking. Logging (AKA medical records) of all medical incidents/interactions, even at smaller events is critical. There may
be a need for follow-up.

On our 75-mile stages, nobody cares tactically what is happening 50
miles away. As an example -- if you have a bike crash that is local,
one needs to decide which assets are responding, etc. If there is a
shortage of aspirin 50 miles away, for those working the crash, that
ties up the radio channel and is really a distraction. I keep missing
the memo on the power of out of-area internet repeater linking in
emergencies.

The event organizers concluded the business band UHF rented radios had
coverage issues in rural areas. So, they switched to Zello, an internet
voice chat application. Between various cellular carriers, coverage was
decent. The ability to include non-hams and event leaders in the
situational awareness function was key. Our largest area EMS operation
was also suggesting Zello for this use case.

If you mix hams, directed nets and events, our channel occupancy "PTT Duration," for better or worse, is very high. This changes the basic engineering behind trunking for business and public safety -- the
assumption that average offered traffic load is low and time slots can
be shared across lots of potential users. The PTT Duration "H" example <https://urgentcomm.com/2001/04/01/ready-set-calculate/> is 5 seconds
-- for hams that is probably closer to 45 seconds or a minute. For
medical dispatch traffic, a very high grade of service is mandatory.
So, dedicated repeaters or unpopularly time slots are the best. -- Erik Westgard, NY9D <ewestgard@att.net>, St. Paul, Minnesota

PART 2: CURRENT HOSPITAL NETS

[The first part of this series appeared in last month's issue -- Ed.]

Although some hospital nets strictly use analog voice to keep things
simple, data modes avoid many of the oral communication errors that
occur in noisy environments under stressful conditions. Data
communication is now ubiquitous in amateur radio. Winlink Global Radio
Email <https://www.winlink.org/> supports both HF and VHF/UHF
operation, and is widely used. Some hospital nets have started to use
Fldigi <http://www.w1hkj.com/> modem software in combination with Flmsg <http://www.w1hkj.com/flmsg-help/> messaging software. In a pinch, no
special interface is needed: data can be exchanged merely by
positioning a laptop PC so that its microphone is near the radio's
speaker, and the radio's microphone is near the laptop's speaker.

Not enough can be said about the amateur radio leaders who have
invested much time and effort in convincing hospitals to install
amateur radio stations and antennas, recruiting and training volunteer operators (an ongoing need), coordinating tests of the hospitals'
amateur radio equipment to ensure it works, and conducting practice
drills.

Many hospital nets were forced to hibernate during the pandemic, as
hospitals limited access to their buildings. Most are finally getting
back to normal.

All in all, the amateur radio community has built a solid foundation
for supporting healthcare providers, and is well positioned to take
hospital nets to the next level.

Hospital Net Challenges

Installing amateur radio stations in most of America's more than 6,000 hospitals is an ambitious goal. Some hospitals, especially those with
licensed amateur radio operators on their staffs, welcome the use of
amateur radio in emergencies. Others require convincing. According to
Bret Smith, W4HBS, Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator, Georgia
ARES, the latest CMS 2 rules require that hospitals have reliable
backup communication for emergencies, and amateur radio has
demonstrated it's the best option.

Still, some hospital personnel believe that their commercial backup communication solutions -- primarily satellite phones and land mobile
radios -- are adequate. However, as Smith points out, "Satellite phones
often don't work indoors, and it's neither practical nor safe to go
outdoors during a storm." Land mobile radios used to communicate with ambulances may also be able to reach other hospitals, but ambulance
traffic is often urgent, so their use would depend on the availability
of spare radios and channels.

While commercial backup systems have their strengths, amateur radio is exceptionally versatile. Nor is it necessarily an either/or question:
Amateur radio can provide extra capacity when other communication
resources are stretched to their limits. "Amateur radio offers
hospitals unique backup communications capabilities. When the disaster
is at its worst, communications must be at its best," said Jack
Tsujimura, KH6DQ, Statewide HealthComm Coordinator for Hawaii.

What steps can be taken to convince hospitals to include amateur radio
in their emergency communication plans? First, make the hospital aware
that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sees amateur radio
as a valuable emergency communication tool. In my region, the St. Louis
Area Regional Response System (STARRS) works closely with FEMA and
included amateur radio in its 110-page 2009 Regional Healthcare
Coordination Plan. Second, direct the hospital to grants that pay for
amateur radio equipment (such as those available from the
Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, ASPR). Third,
set up a meeting between local Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
leaders and the hospital's emergency communication manager, facilities
manager, and preferably an executive who can approve the project. Use
the meeting to describe amateur radio's capabilities, present examples
of how amateur radio provided vital communication during previous
disasters, and reassure hospital management that amateur radio
volunteers will be there solely to send and receive messages at their direction.

Ensuring that there are enough volunteer operators can be a challenge.
Licensed operators are needed to test the amateur radio equipment in
hospitals on a regular basis, participate in practice drills, and
operate the stations during disasters.

How many volunteer operators are necessary? One volunteer can cover
three locations tested quarterly. More volunteers will be needed during emergencies. The volunteer's first concern, however, should be the
well-being of his or her family. A volunteer who is worried about loved
ones cannot be effective.

Ideally, there should be enough operators to enable working in shifts,
but hospital nets report that in practice two operators can handle the
busy first day or so, with one operator working while the other rests.

Training is essential for volunteer operators. Most hospital nets
recommend the ARRL's Introduction to Emergency Communication <http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-self-guided-emergency-communication-course-ec-001-s-is-now-available-on-demand>
course and FEMA's online Incident Command System (ICS) courses <https://training.fema.gov/emiweb/is/icsresource/trainingmaterials/> (specifically, ICS-100, ICS-200, and ICS-700). Volunteer operators
should also be familiar with the hospital's amateur radio equipment and
any hospital-specific procedures.

Most importantly, volunteer operators must understand what their role
isn't. They are not first responders, health care providers, or
decision makers. Their job is to send and receive messages exactly as
given, and do it in a businesslike manner.

Amateur Radio Hospital Net Opportunities

One of the best things that the amateur radio community can do to
enhance its reputation as an emergency communication service is to
create and expand hospital nets around the country. Hospital nets help
build relationships with healthcare providers and government agencies.
And they demonstrate to the public that amateur radio is ready and able
to assist during any disaster, no matter how severe.

Hospital nets can help attract young people, who are encouraged to
serve their local communities. Earning an amateur radio license and participating in a hospital net are powerful résumé enhancements.
Amateur radio must evolve to meet hospitals' future emergency
communication needs and appeal to today's youth, who grew up with the
internet. Hospitals need reliable coverage over a wide area, ample
capacity, and support for both voice and data. Today's young people are accustomed to high-speed access; many are proficient at producing and
uploading videos. How can amateur radio better serve these two
constituencies? By building broadband mesh networks covering major
cities and large rural areas. Networks consisting of nodes (many
equipped with backup power) operated by clubs, sponsors, and individual
hams, that are self-healing, and that are readily expandable, would
help catapult amateur radio into the future.

Conclusion

Amateur radio has earned praise for providing emergency communication
in response to disasters. But it should not be taken for granted. A
strategy is needed to meet tomorrow's emergency communication needs.
That strategy should guide regulatory policy and technology development
to make amateur radio hospitals' go-to emergency communication solution
and give young people an exciting new outlet for their technical skills
and eagerness to serve their local communities. -- Ira Brodsky, KC9TC,
St. Louis, Missouri

ARES® RESOURCES

- Download the ARES Manual [PDF] <http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/ARES/ARESmanual2015.pdf>
- ARES Field Resources Manual [PDF] <http://www.arrl.org/files/file/ARES_FR_Manual.pdf>
- ARES Standardized Training Plan Task Book [Fillable PDF] <http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/ARES/ARRL-ARES-FILLABLE-TRAINING-TASK-BOOK-V2_1_1.pdf>
- ARES Standardized Training Plan Task Book [Word] <http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/ARES/ARRL-ARES-STANDARDIZED-TRAINING-TASK-BOOK-V1_2_2.doc>
- ARES Plan <http://www.arrl.org/ares-plan>
- ARES Group Registration
<http://www.arrl.org/ares-group-id-request-form>
- Emergency Communications Training <http://www.arrl.org/emergency-communications-training>

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) consists of licensed
amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and
equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in
the public service when disaster strikes. Every licensed amateur,
regardless of membership in ARRL or any other local or national
organization is eligible to apply for membership in ARES. Training may
be required or desired to participate fully in ARES. Please inquire at
the local level for specific information. Because ARES is an amateur
radio program, only licensed radio amateurs are eligible for
membership. The possession of emergency-powered equipment is desirable,
but is not a requirement for membership.

How to Get Involved in ARES: Fill out the ARES Registration form <http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Public%20Service/fsd98.pdf> and submit
it to your local Emergency Coordinator.

ARRL RESOURCES

Join or Renew Today! <http://www.arrl.org/join> Eligible US-based
members can elect to receive QST <http://www.arrl.org/qst> or On the
Air <http://www.arrl.org/on-the-air-magazine> magazine in print when
they join ARRL or when they renew their membership. All members can
access digital editions of all four ARRL magazines: QST, On the Air,
QEX, and NCJ.

Subscribe to NCJ -- the National Contest Journal
<http://www.arrl.org/ncj>. Published bimonthly, features articles by
top contesters, letters, hints, statistics, scores, NA Sprint and QSO
parties.

Subscribe to QEX -- A Forum for Communications Experimenters <http://www.arrl.org/qex>. Published bimonthly, features technical
articles, construction projects, columns, and other items of interest
to radio amateurs and communications professionals.

Free of charge to ARRL members: Subscribe <http://www.arrl.org/myarrl-account-management#%21/edit-info-email_subscriptions>
to the ARES Letter (monthly public service and emergency communications
news), the ARRL Contest Update (biweekly contest newsletter), Division
and Section news alerts -- and much more!

Find us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/ARRL.org>. Follow us on
Twitter <https://twitter.com/ARRL_ARES>.

ARRL offers a wide array of products <http://www.arrl.org/arrl-store>
to enhance your enjoyment of amateur radio.

Donate <https://www.arrl.org/arrl-donation-form> to the fund of your
choice -- support programs not funded by member dues!

Click here <ads@arrl.org> to advertise in this newsletter, space
subject to availability.

________

The ARES Letter is published on the third Wednesday of each month. ARRL
members may subscribe at no cost or unsubscribe by editing their Member
Data Page at www.arrl.org/opt-in-out <https://home.arrl.org/action/My-Account/Opt-In-Out>.

Copyright (c) 2023 American Radio Relay League, Incorporated.
Use and distribution of this publication, or any portion thereof, is
permitted for non-commercial or educational purposes, with attribution.
All other purposes require written permission.

<http://www.arrl.org/>

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)