We will have the 3nd quarterly
ARES/RACERS meeting of 2008 on July 13th 2008 at the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management
office on Camp Robinson Building
9501.
The Following ARES/RACES Meeting October 12th 2008
We will have the 4th quarterly
ARES/RACERS meeting of 2008 on October 12th 2008 at the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management
office on Camp Robinson Building
9501.
ARES / RACES Meeting
April 13th 2008
ADEM HQ, Camp Robinson
The
April meeting was called to order at 1:30 with two guests. Joe Halsey –
ADEM Telecommunications Branch Manager was present and Ken Gibson was
introduced as the new Information Technology Division Manager.
The
items discussed are as follows:
-
J.
M. Rowe presided on a review of 3 documents: the Arkansas ARES/RACES Plan,
the Arkansas ARES/RACES Standard Operating Procedures, and the MOU between
ADEM and the Arkansas Section of the ARRL. These documents were written
and viewed as generic in style and thus able to cover most situations. No
questions were raised for an amendment or edit item on any of the three.
These three documents will then stand as detailed in the ARES Website.
-
Joe
Giddens asked a question on where does the RACES Loyalty oath document
copies go. The answer was a copy to the local county OEM office is
sufficient.
-
David Norris related that more publicity on the achievements of the Super
Session will surface soon.
-
John
Nordlund is now working for the Arkansas Department of Health full time
and is proposing/planning a Skywarn class Super Session style via the
state Videoconference System. Tommy Black is still editing out dead space
to make available a copy of the last Super Session Instruction as a DVD.
-
On
recent Severe Weather events, J.M. and David praised the increased overall
participation and effort with Skywarn that has undoubtedly saved lives.
They related some work is yet to be done in training locally and that
included the Skywarn Net Controllers. They see the net control dictating
what he needs and everyone must realize that the net control is the
responsible party overall. Local training with understanding of the rules
of conduct, and parameters to be reported is needed is several locations.
Bob
King noted that a Channel 7 videographer (who is also a local storm spotter)
showed that they understood the communication paths of Skywarn operations
in the storm information they communicated and relayed to him during the
Bryant/Saline tornado incident. Good to see that even members of the media
understand the procedures and paths.
-
Lightning was discussed and N5IOZ advised the purchase of Model LA302R
Delta Lightning Arrestors (made in
Big Spring,
Texas)
available from wholesale electric dealers. He would go through several of
these a month in the spring while drilling holes with a 140 foot drilling
rig – and lightning target in Texas. The item is sacrificial and clamps
when lightning strikes a power line somewhere in the region of your ham
shack. It is mounted on the side of a breaker box with 2 wires to the hot
sides and one white wire to the Common and/or Ground. These run about $25
wholesale and a Square D version is about $10 higher. Some Rural Electric
Cooperatives rent (about $8/month) a version that fits between the meter
and the box. You can have a well grounded antenna and shack – but the
lightning a mile away can still come down the power lines.
-
J.
M. Rowe advised a potential redistricting of ARES/RACES is under study.
The 12 State Police districts might move to the 5 districts of ADEM or the
5 Districts of the Health Department. The move may aid the current level
where one third of the counties are without an EC.
-
Several of the Arkansas Hospitals are making Photo IDs for their “outside”
hams as their Buildings will go into Lockdown mode at any incident. If
yours does not – then you must ask them (usually the Bio-Terrorism
Coordinator) how do you get in to operate the system during a lockdown?
N5IOZ related that similar lockdown is the plan in any
incident with the chemical manufacturing folks in
Columbia and Union Counties
and also the Dept of Defense Manufacturing areas in Calhoun and Ouachita
Counties. He noted that an incident with either of these will require a
Photo ID similar to the now expiring ADEM photo ID to get to the IC.
Drivers Licenses do not work. The DEC and EC folks at least need an ADEM
type ID. These comments simply reflect the reality of the LEPC or Security
planning in these South Central areas. Arkansas Nuclear One and CSEPP are
probably going down the same planning road.
-
CAUHF sent two members of their club to extend an offer of any assistance
needed to finish the ham installation at ADEM.
-
The
meeting adjourned with a mini-tour of the ADEM radio area, the new ham
building and towers.
-
Next meeting is
13 July, 2008.
In attendance: N5XFW, KD5ZJR,
N5IOZ, AE5CS, N5QLC, KK5WA, K5UZ, KG5KS, W5WPN, W5LVB, N5JBJ, AD5FU, KD5QMD,
KE5JYX.
ARES / RACES Meeting
January 13th 2008
ADEM HQ, Camp Robinson
Will be posted as soon as the minutes are completed.
ARES / RACES Meeting
November 3rd 2007
ADEM HQ, Camp Robinson
Will be posted as soon as the minutes are completed.
ARES / RACES Meeting
July 8th 2007
ADEM HQ, Camp Robinson
Will be posted as soon as the minutes are completed.
ARES / RACES Meeting
15 April 2007
ADEM HQ, Conway
J.M. Rowe, Arkansas SEC, opened the meeting at 1334
with a round of introductions around the room.
Meeting topics were then discussed:
*** JM, N5XFW, SEC -
NIMS course requirements: It was decided that since
the government requirement for line level responders only includes IS- 100
and IS-700, the credential requirements listed in the previous meeting’s
minutes would be modified – only those two NIMS courses would be required
for those below the AEC level. Those with ‘planning’ responsibilities, AEC
and above, would still need 200 and 800 as well as the 100 and 700 courses.
The Arkansas role as a reception center,
specifically Ft Chaffee, was discussed – and the need to provide
communications for the influx of those into the area.
Upcoming exercises - -
- 25 April – Pandemic Flu – a combination CDC /
state exercise - - time and scenario are not yet known.
- 19-21 June – Spill of National Significance (SONS)
– an EPA / Coast Guard / state event. Based on an earthquake – the first
day will be the quake involving 10 counties in NE Arkansas. Second day will
be a HazMat incident in the W Memphis area. Day three will be a
radiological event in W Memphis.
- 3 May – A communications exercise involving the
hospitals in the AHA’s North Central region.
AWIN radios are being purchased for all Arkansas
hospitals – including psychiatric and outpatient surgery facilities, as long
as they have inpatient type bed space.
Dualband radios, antennas and coax are being
provided for hospitals in the Central and NE sections. SW already received
radios – and more funds should be available in July for additional regions.
Arrangements are almost complete to purchase 25
routers and radios to place at AWIN sites around the state to tie the AWIN
system to the 155.280 EMS In-route radios. This would allow an ambulance to
use their VHF radios to talk directly, via AWIN, to the Health Department
Emergency Comm Center.
*** David Norris, K5UZ, Section Manager –
An agreement has been reached with ARRL to allow
local teaching and testing for the AECC courses. It could be offered in
both the official ARRL (paid) version with an ARRL certificate and in a free
version with no certificate.
David pointed out that since the elimination of the
code test element, there has been a tremendous jump in both upgrades and new
Techs. He asked that we all assist the new hams/upgrades and provide a good
example for operating.
The idea of having mini-drills on the air was
suggested during some of the training nets. David mentioned that, while
being careful not to over due it, that might be good – on 3987.
Don’t forget the hamfest in Bentonville on 28 April
!
*Responding to a question about callsigns for
hospitals and agencies - - JM told us that the EOC at the Health Department
in Little Rock has been assigned AD5OH. And, that it seemed to make sense
to just use the operator’s call, both FCC and tactical, for various
hospitals and agencies rather than try to keep up with Arkansas ARES club
callsigns.
*** Wayne Johnston, KD4TA –
Presentation – “Emergency Traffic: Radio email for
HF and VHF without a TNC or cable interface”- software that allows digital
transmission of messages without a direct interface between radio and
computer. The Digipan software is free and uses the soundcard / speakers /
mic of a computer to get the sound to a radio. http://mywebpages.comcast.net/hteller/digipan/
*** David Huddleston, ADEM
David says that the move to the new ADEM center at
Camp Robinson is set for mid-May - - but could be delayed til the first of
June.
Next meeting will be on 8 July - - - location to be
announced !
QUARTERLY
ARES-RACES MEETING
ARES/RACES DEC Meeting
1/14/07
The meeting was called to order at
1330 hours by J.M. Rowe N5XFW Section Emergency Coordinator. The meeting
was held in the Conference Room at ADEM due to the EOC being activated in
response to winter weather and flooding in several counties in Arkansas.
OLD BUSINESS
J.M.
reminded everyone to send Carl KB5FJX an email if they had not done so
recently, to help him recover from a lost hard drive.
NEW
BUSINESS
1)
ADEM Name Badges: Next meeting will be the time for all to get a
new badge. Everyone is encouraged to attend this meeting so a picture can
be taken and a new badge printed.
2)
Section Manager News: David Norris K5UZ announced that he has no
opposition for the upcoming SM election. He stated that all appointments
would remain the same, except for those that chose to resign.
3)
ICS and Arkansas ARES/RACES: J.M. discussed how an ICS structure
in a day-to-day environment would look for the organization. Since our
people mostly are to be integrated into served agencies’ structure, it does
not make sense to name ICS positions at this time.
4)
Credentialing by served agencies: J.M. pointed out the
difficulties of an operator being credentialed by multiple organizations.
He is attempting to work with the Arkansas Hospital Association to come to
an agreement that will be accepted across the state for that organization.
It was noted that the ARRL Board of Directors is meeting this coming week,
and they are expected to discuss this very issue.
5)
J.M. wanted to make absolutely sure that everyone knew that
Technicians are a valued part of the Arkansas ARES/RACES organization, and
that he would not tolerate anyone denigrating that license class.
6)
Arkansas ARES/RACES Leadership Job Qualifications: Discussions
were held regarding the levels of education that were to be deemed necessary
for each position in the organization. All personnel, regardless of
position, are to complete all required ICS training. At this time that
includes IS 100, IS 200, IS 700, and IS 800. All ARES members are required
to have full ARRL membership. All Leadership personnel will hold at least a
Technician class license.
A)
EC. The EC will complete the Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Course #1, or present an equivalent to the SEC for
consideration.
B)
DEC. The DEC will complete all requirements for an EC, as well as
have a minimum of two verifiable years of experience in an ARES/RACES
leadership role, or have equivalent experience to present to the SEC.
C)
SEC. The SEC will complete all requirements as a DEC, have
leadership qualities, have verifiable experience, and will be selected by
the SM.
These additions to the job descriptions are
intended to increase confidence in our served agencies that our personnel
are the best trained possible. All requirements are to be met by existing
personnel as soon as possible, but no later than the end of 2007.
Exceptions may be granted by the SEC for any and all requirements.
