A mateur R adio E mergency S ervices & D isaster S ervices T echnology

C OMBINING F ORCES Especially prepared for ARES State Conference October 18, 2014

 Amateur Radio Operator – KA9MNB/N9EAL/WI9ARC  Disaster Action Team volunteer – Waukesha County  ARES member - Waukesha County  Red Cross Disaster Services Technology Lead ◦ Eastern Wisconsin Region/state of WI ◦ Deploy nationally in DST  Red Cross Disaster Assessment Lead ◦ Eastern Wisconsin Region/state of WI ◦ Deploy nationally in DA

Helping to bring Order out of Chaos through the use of Communications, computers, and internet connectivity to: “to best meet the needs of the survivors in the community “

Provide INTRAOPERABLE Communications Provide INTEROPERABLE Communications Using multiple tools

 Role within Red Cross has morphed ◦ From “Communications” ◦ To Disaster Services Technology  Communications  Computers  Networking  Customer Service

 Communication ◦ Install Communication equipment (radios, repeaters, cell phones, satellite phones, antennas) ◦ Repair and maintain communication equipment ◦ Serve as a radio operator and liaison to the Amateur Radio groups supporting affected area ◦ Install and maintain IP phones  Computer Operations ◦ Install and support computer workstations and network applications in both fixed and mobile environments ◦ Manage deployed servers, and user accounts ◦ Provide system administration support  Networking ◦ Design and install wired and wireless infrastructure ◦ Install and maintain IP Fax ◦ Provide network operations troubleshooting ◦ Monitor network traffic ◦ Maintain network security  Customer Service ◦ Receive and inventory all DST equipment ◦ Check out to and receive equipment from DRO staff ◦ Provide single point of contact ◦ Provide user orientations

 Four Roles ◦ Amateur Radio Liaison ◦ Communication Equipment Operator ◦ Communications Equipment installer/repair ◦ Disaster Assessment

“Each organization will encourage interested volunteers to become members and participate in the activities of the other organization. Such volunteers shall meet the standards, have the responsibilities and be entitled to the privileges of each organization.”

 Person ◦ Familiar with amateur radio, ARES, Red Cross ◦ Single point of contact ◦ Linked to person in other organization

 Stationary or mobile  Equipment – yours and/or ours  Shadow  Amateur frequencies or  Red Cross / National disaster frequencies ◦ SHARES (HF)

 Shelters ◦ Within shelters ◦ Shelters to  Headquarters  EOC  Other shelters ◦ Message content  Supplies!!  Census  Client requests/information (careful!)

 Outreach Teams ◦ Casework ◦ Mental Health ◦ Health Service ◦ Coordinate teams ◦ IMPORTANT instant communications

 The “When All Else Fails” situation ◦ ARES & amateur radio are at their best ◦ Multiple served agencies ◦ Short term  The “Best Option” situation ◦ ARES & amateur radio constitute the most effective communications ◦ Fewer served agencies ◦ Longer term

Transmitted Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message POOR Situational Awareness

Transmitted Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message GOOD Situational Awareness

Transmitted Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message Received Message COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATES

 A.R.E.S. ◦ CAN communicate with any other amateur radio operator  R.A.C.E.S. ◦ CANNOT communicate with any other amateur radio operator (?)  Only other RACES operators  § Emphasizes importance of “crossover”

 Stationary or mobile  Equipment – yours and/or ours  Locations ◦ Headquarters ◦ Kitchens ◦ Shelters ◦ Temporary Locations  PODs  MARCs  Service Centers

 Feeding ◦ Kitchens to ERVs ◦ ERV’s to ERVs ◦ Red Cross radio system  MHz  National system

 Headquarters ◦ Prepare Equipment For distribution ◦ Centralize communication efforts ◦ Care & Control of equipment

 Help Establish ◦ Antennas ◦ Radios ◦ Paths ???  Utilize – teach people  Maintain  Break down ◦ and all FAST

◦ Skywarn  As the need is created  Situational awareness ◦ Teams in the field  Collecting damage information  Team coordination  Result reporting ◦ Special DA Class  You schedule

 ARES  Trained comm Personnel  Committed to serve  Operators have equipment  Rapid response  RED CROSS  Resources  Purpose & Direction  Starts response NOW  Multi-faceted response ◦ Needing coordination BOTH Trained teams Leverage local resources

What would your role be

 Communications ◦ Install Communication equipment (radios, repeaters, cell phones, satellite phones, antennas) ◦ Repair and maintain communication equipment ◦ Serve as a radio operator and liaison to the Amateur Radio groups supporting affected area ◦ Install and maintain IP phones ◦ Truly the ARES role  Computers  Networking  Customer Service

 Install and support computer workstations and network applications in both fixed and mobile environments  Manage deployed servers, and user accounts  Provide system administration support

 Design and install wired and wireless infrastructure  Install and maintain IP Fax  Provide network operations troubleshooting  Monitor network traffic  Maintain network security

 Receive and inventory all DST equipment  Check out to and receive equipment from DRO staff  Provide single point of contact  Provide user orientations

Quick recap

 Liaison  Communications equipment operator  Communications equipment installer/repair  Damage assessment

 ARRL EmComm Training  ARES participation  FEMA training ◦ ICS especially  ARC damage assessment training  Red Cross DST training ◦ DST101 courses  Red Cross disaster training ◦ Better understand what/why of messages

Anything Red Cross

 For inviting me to tell the story of a served agency  For all that you have done  For all that you will be doing Volunteer service is the rent one pays for the space they occupy on earth Consider yourselves paid up!