Deployment of ARES/RACES Teams To Incident Operation Centers
During a county or local emergency, Incident Operation Centers (IOCs) will be established at government facilities, law enforcement stations, hospitals, schools, Red Cross shelters, and at other locations to deal with the emergency. Some IOCs will be major command posts and designated as Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs). Other IOCs will be smaller operation centers set up to deal with the emergency at a specific location such as a school or Red Cross shelter.
ARES/RACES teams may be activated to provide these IOCs with either primary or backup radio communications support. In some cases, ARES/RACES radio communications will be an IOC?s only means of communicating with officials, law enforcement, and emergency workers at other locations.
A number of different organizations may be represented at a large IOC. For example, a city IOC may have people from Administration, Planning, Finance, Public Works, Health and Safety, Park District, School District, and Law Enforcement all present in the IOC. This type of IOC is typically set up in a large meeting room with tables designated for each of the individual organizations and situation charts arranged around the periphery of the room. More than fifty people may be present in the IOC at any time.
To support a large IOC, an ARES/RACES team of perhaps six people may be required to handle the volume of traffic being generated. The composition of this ARES/RACES team would likely consist of:
The team leader is responsible for directing the team?s activities, interfacing with the IOC management, and resolving any team related problems.
The two radio operators are responsible for actual transmission and reception of message traffic. The voice radio operator transmits and receives short command and control messages, status messages, and information queries and replies. The packet operator uses radio computer communication networks to send and receive long text messages, lengthy lists of logistic information, and detailed status reports that are difficult to send via voice radio because of their length. In addition, the packet operator may occasionally be asked to send sensitive information since packet transmissions tend to be more secure than voice. The packet operator may also operate a second voice radio if voice traffic is heavy and there is no packet information to be sent or received.
The three message handlers are critical to the success of the ARES/RACES mission. Message handlers are the interface between the radio operators and the various organizations (the customers) at the IOC. The customers are the originators and recipients of the message traffic. The message handlers bring calm and order to a hectic communications environment that could quickly get out of control. The message handlers work with the customers to transcribe their message traffic into formal written messages. The message handlers ensure that each written message contains the necessary message handling information, including message priority, time and date created, name of the person and organization to which the message is to be sent, name of the person and organization generating the message, and any authorization that may be appropriate. When a message handler completes the composition of a message, he/she hands the message to a radio operator for transmission. The radio operators are thus buffered from the customers and can concentrate on net activities and on transmitting and receiving written message traffic. Messages which the radio operators receive from other sites are given to message handlers for delivery to the customers. The team leader also works as a message handler when not involved in management tasks. The team leader brings the ratio of message handlers to radio operators to approximately 2:1 which is a good ratio.
The customers will measure the performance of the ARES/RACES team by how quickly the team sends messages and receives replies. The responsiveness of the team will be determined primarily by the message handlers and secondarily by the efficiency of the radio communication nets. The team?s responsiveness will be judged poor if customers must stand in line waiting for a message handler to take their message. Conversely, the team?s responsiveness will be perceived as excellent if a message handler is always available to accept a message as soon as a customer has one to send. A customer will presume that he/she has been served (his/her message is in the system) once the message has been given to a message handler. It is this perception of the team?s responsiveness that makes the role of message handler so important.
In situations where the traffic volume is very heavy, the team leader should seriously consider training support personnel at the IOC to be message handlers. A message handler does not need to be a licensed amateur radio operator. This on the spot training strategy may free up some of the ARES/RACES message handlers to serve as addition radio operators to move the large volume of traffic.
Transcribing verbal messages from customers into a written message format is a labor intensive job for the message handlers. The accuracy and speed of message handling will be greatly enhanced if customers write their messages on message forms before giving them to a message handler. If this is done, all the message handler needs to do is check the message for completeness and readability. Once checked, the written message can be given directly to a radio operator for transmission. Customers will be more likely to write out their own messages if they are given simple message forms to use, such as the message form shown below:
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MH |
Time: Date:
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Priority: Emergency, High, Routine, Low |
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Name |
Organization |
Location |
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To |
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From |
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Message:
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This message form is intuitive, easy to use, and contains all of the critical information needed for message handling during a county or local emergency.
The four categories of message priority have the following meaning:
| a) | Emergency: The message is extremely time critical and must be sent right now! |
| b) | High: The message must be sent as soon as possible (ASAP). |
| c) | Routine: The message can be sent as part of the site?s normal message flow (most messages should be of this type). |
| d) | Low: The message can be sent when there is no other higher priority message traffic to be sent (this type of message is typically general interest and other status information that is not time critical). |
Message handles must ensure that each message contains a message number so that the message can be easily identified and tracked. Message numbers should be added to messages by the message handlers, not the customer, to ensure consistency in message numbering. The message number needs to be sufficiently unique so that messages during a particular period of operation can be easily identified and tracked. The message number should also be tied to a specific message handler so that the message handler can be identified if there is a question about the message. An easy numbering system that achieves these requirements is to use the message handler?s amateur radio call suffix, followed by the time and date when the message was generated, as the message number. For example, a message number of RZ 1435 11 15 02, would be generated by message handler KJ6RZ for a message generated at 1435 on November 15, 2002. Note however, that the time and date already appears on the message form to the right of the MH field. Thus all the message handler needs to do to generate a unique message number is to place his/her call suffix in the MH field in the upper left hand corner of the message form. The message handler could place his/her complete call in the MH field, however, the call suffix is usually adequate and requires less time to enter than a full call. If the message handler does not have an amateur radio license, then the message handler?s initials should be placed in the MH field. The simple message form discussed above works very well for single hop traffic, that is, traffic in which a message is transmitted directly from its originating station to the addressed destination site without passing through any intermediate locations. Most traffic for local and county emergencies is of this type. In contrast, a multi-hop message travels from the originating station, through one or more intermediate radio stations, before finally arriving at the addressed destination site. Multi-hop traffic is required whenever terrain or long distances prevent the originating and destination stations from directly communicating. Handling multi-hop voice traffic is considerably more difficult than single hop traffic because of the steps necessary to avoid introducing errors in a message as it is relayed from one radio station to the next. The ARRL National Traffic System (NTS) message forms and procedures have been developed over the years to successfully handle multi-hop voice traffic. The NTS forms and procedures should be used if multi-hop traffic is needed.
Occasionally an emergency message will be so critical that there simply is not time for normal message handling. When this occurs, amateur radio becomes a conduit for third party direct customer to customer voice communications. A customer requiring this level of communications must so notify a message handler. The message handler will immediately take the customer to a radio operator. The radio operator will work with net control and the site being contacted to set up a third part link between the two sites. Once that is done, the radio operators at each site will hand their microphones to the two people needing to communicate. When their emergency communications is completed, radio operations at the two sites will revert to normal procedures.
A small IOC will consist of a single organization staffed with three or four people. In this case, the ARES/RACES team may consist of a single person who performs all three team functions (team leader, message handler, and radio operator).
The modes of radio communications used by the ARES/RACES teams will normally be:
| a) Repeater and simplex voice communications on:
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| b) Packet communications on 2 meters and 70 centimeters. |
Local HF radio communications, particularly near vertical incident sky wave propagation, may be needed in mountainous regions or other areas where VHF/UHF repeaters are not available. In many cases, near vertical incident sky wave HF communications will be the only means of communicating out of deep canyons surrounded by high mountains or steep canyon walls. This mode of communications is also easy to set up since it uses low dipole antennas, for example inverted V antennas with center poles that are only 10 feet or so high.
The majority of radio communication during an emergency will be local in nature. However, some HF communications may be required with state and federal government agencies located several hundred miles from the incident area.
The radio equipment needed by the ARES/RACES teams will already be in place at some of the potential IOCs, including the County Emergency Operations Center (County EOC), law enforcement stations, area hospitals, and Red Cross facilities.
Other IOCs, established at the time of the emergency, will not have the necessary radio equipment. For these IOCs, portable radio stations will be needed which can be carried to the various sites. A portable radio station must provide the full set of communication capabilities that an ARES/RACES team will need to successfully carry out their mission. In addition, portable radio stations must be capable of being quickly set up and easily operated.
The success of a mission depends in part on the ability to set up the ARES/RACES radio station in close proximity to the customers. This generally means that the station must be set up in the IOC room or in an adjacent room. In some cases the radio station may be installed in a vehicle parked immediately outside the IOC. Often, however, this option will not be available. For example, the parking lot may not be close to the IOC. In some cases there will not be any easy access to the IOC location from either ground level or from outside of the building. For example, the IOC may be locate in the interior of the building on the third or fourth floor. Finding a suitable location for antennas may also be a challenge. Mounting antennas on the roof of the building or at other outside locations often will not be possible. In addition, the location of the IOC within the building may be such that the building structure forms a partial barrier to radio signal propagation.
A radio station will generally require quality antennas to over come the problems presented by the IOC?s location. Tripod mounted VHF/UHF half and 5/8 wavelength vertical antennas will often provide good service. The total height of an antenna structure must be less than 8 feet so that the antenna can be set up in rooms with standard 8 foot ceilings. Suitable mounting locations for mag-mounted antennas should not be assumed for the IOC or surrounding rooms. The team must bring adequate ground planes with them if mag-mount antennas are to be used.
A VHF/UHF transmit power of 10 watts or greater will generally be required for operations within a building. In some cases 5 watt handheld radios will provide acceptable service, particularly if connected to a quality tripod mounted half or 5/8 wavelength antenna.
Noise in a crowded IOC room can be a problem. It is recommended that earphones be available for the radio operators if needed.
Power to operate the radio station may be a problem, or may become a problem depending on the emergency and how the emergency progresses. The ARES/RACES team should be prepared to operate on battery power should that become necessary.
Care must be taken in setting up a radio station in medical facilities. The RF energy radiated by the station?s transmitter must not interfere with sensitive medical equipment, particularly life support systems. Authorization from qualified facility medical personnel must be received before setting up a station in this environment.
Organizations within the IOC may have their own handheld radios. These radios may or may not work at the IOC location. The ARES/RACES team leader needs to be aware of these other radios and the types of message traffic that they are handling. In particular, the team leader needs to be aware of potential interference between the radios. If interference becomes a problem, the team leader will need to work with the other organizations to position the radio equipment within and around the IOC to avoid interference.
In some emergencies, particularly earthquakes and tornadoes, IOCs will be set up in tents or other temporary outside facilities because buildings in the area are structurally damaged and no longer safe. ARES/RACES communication vans and trailers are ideal for providing these IOCs with communications service. However, there are generally only two or three such vans or trailers available in a county. Because of their extensive capabilities, these mobile communication resources will be assigned to large IOC command centers. A team deployed to a smaller IOC will need to set up the ARES/RACES radio station:
| a) | In the IOC tent or other temporary IOC facility, |
| b) | In a separate ARES/RACES tent brought to the site by the team, or |
| c) | In a personal vehicle driven up next to the IOC.
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Tables may not be available if a team is required to set up in an IOC tent. For this environment, the team should plan to bring their own tables and chairs with them along with the necessary radio equipment.
A successful ARES/RACES IOC mission depends on predeployment planning. This planning includes determining the following information to the extent possible:
| a) | What is the planned scope of the ARES/RACES mission at the IOC?
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| b) | What modes of ARES/RACES communications are needed at the IOC? |
| c) | What frequency bands is the IOC to operate on? |
| d) | What ARES/RACES nets is the IOC to participate in? |
| e) | What is the initial size of the ARES/RACES team to be deployed to the IOC? |
| f) | Who will be the initial ARES/RACES team leader at the IOC? |
| g) | What communications equipment will be needed at the site? |
| h) | What other supplies will be needed at the site? |
| i) | What is the location of the site and the best route to get there? |
| j) | What frequency will the team use to communicate with the ARES/RACES leadership while in route to the site? |
An ARES/RACES IOC Operations Planning form is contained in the Appendix. This form is very useful in planning the mission and documenting changes that occur in the plan during the course of the mission. At the end of the mission, this completed form can be edited to becomes the team?s mission report. This procedure considerable simplifies the task of writing a mission report as well as improving its accuracy.
The safety of team members is a primary concern of the ARES/RACES leadership. To help ensure their safety, ARES/RACES leadership needs to know the location of team members and their status at all times. To accomplish this, each team member is required to contact ARES/RACES leadership prior to leaving for an IOC assignment and again when they arrive at the site. The information conveyed to the ARES/RACES leadership should include the route that individuals plan to follow to the IOC and when they expect to arrive. This information will be critical in locating a team member if he/she does not arrive at the IOC when expected.
Above all, each team member is responsible for his/her own safety. Team members must be constantly aware of what is going on around them and not go anywhere or do anything that would risk their own safety. If a team member can not reach his/her assigned location because of dangerous conditions in route or at the site, then the team member should report that to the ARES/RACES leadership. The leadership can either provide the team member with safe alternate routing to the site or another assignment. If the site where a team is deployed becomes dangerous, the team should leave as quickly as possible. If conditions are not yet critical, the team should report their condition to ARES/RACES leadership before leaving the site. The ARES/RACES leadership may know the safest routes to leave the site. If the situation at the site deteriorates so quickly that there is not time to contact ARES/RACES leadership, then the team should leave immediately and report in to ARES/RACES leadership as soon as they are in a safe location. Remember, the team is involved to help solve the problem, not become part of it. A team member who becomes injured has just become part of the problem. Therefore, personal safety is each team member?s number one job.
A team member should of course contact ARES/RACES leadership if they encounter trouble in route to the IOC. Team members should do the following if they are blocked from reaching their assigned site by law enforcement personnel:
| a) | Inform the law enforcement personnel that the team is part of an emergency communications team dispatched to the site. This explanation must include the name of the agency that dispatched the team. |
| b) | If the law enforcement personnel still do not allow the team to proceed, then the team must follow the directions of the law enforcement personnel without further questions. |
| c) | Do not argue with law enforcement people. |
| d) | The team must report the problem to ARES/RACES leadership after withdrawing in accordance with law enforcement directions. |
| e) | ARES/RACES leadership will resolve the problem through the appropriate chain of command and direct the team on how to proceed. |
One of the problems during a wide spread emergency, such as an earthquake, is trying to determine the extent of the damage. To aid in the disaster assessment task, team members should notify ARES/RACES leadership of any significant problems or events that they observe while in route to their assigned IOC.
The first task of the ARES/RACES team leader upon arriving at an IOC is to coordinate with the site Point Of Contact (POC). The team leader will introduce himself/herself to the POC as the ARES/RACES team leader.
Hopefully the POC will be expecting the team and know what the team?s function is. If this is not the case, then the team leader must brief the POC including:
If necessary, the team leader will initiate a dialog between the POC and the agency dispatching the team to coordinate the team?s role at the IOC. If area telephone and cell phone service is down, this communications will need to be via an ARES/RACES communication link and may be the first opportunity that the IOC has to talk with its controlling agency.
It is important to remember that the ARES/RACES team works for the POC. The team has been sent to the IOC by the ARES/RACES leadership, at the request of the IOC or the IOC?s parent agency, to provide the POC with communications support.
The team leader will introduce the remainder of the ARES/RACES team once the role of the team has been confirmed. The team will be introduced to the POC as the initial ARES/RACES operators assigned to the site.
With the assistance of the POC, a location within the IOC will be identified for setting up the ARES/RACES radio station. The team members will set up the station and check into the designated nets.
An ARES/RACES team will often be directed to set up the radio station in a room or office that is normally used by others. Do not assume that the team has blanket permission to use whatever is in the room. Explain to the POC exactly which tables, desks and other resources in the room would be useful in setting up the radio station. Receive explicit approval from the POC before using these items. Once approval has been granted, proceed with the set up being very careful not to damage anything in the room. In particular, the team must be very careful to protect the personal property of the people who normally work in the area. Carefully remove items from the tops of the desks and tables, and put these items in a safe place for the duration of the operation. Do not use office supplies or office equipment without explicit permission to do so. The team has no legitimate reason to open desk drawers, file cabinets, or other storage areas. The team is expected to bring with them all office supply materials that they will need. These supplies are part of the radio station and as important to the success of the operation as the radios, antennas, and batteries.
The team leader will review the ARES/RACES IOC Operations Plan (see Section 1.3 above) with the POC, making changes as needed, while the team members are setting up the station. The operations plan should be expanded at this time to cover:
The availability of working telephones, fax machines, and Internet access is very important. During many types of emergencies (fires, floods, Hazmat spills, etc.), these facilities may be available and should be used by the ARES/RACES team as appropriate. For example, there is no reason to laboriously transmit a long list of needed supplies over a voice net, or even over packet, if the list can be easily faxed to its destination.
The ARES/RACES operations plan for the IOC must be maintained throughout the mission. Changes to the plan should be made as they occur, including changes in:
The current operations plan must be handed off to the next team leader during shift changes.
As a part of the planning process, the team leader will meet with each of the organizations at the IOC. These organizations will become the customers that the ARES/RACES team will serve.
The team leader will brief each of the organizations on:
| a) | The communication services that the ARES/RACES team is prepared to provide. |
| b) | The security of traffic transmitted by amateur radio.
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| c) | Information must normally be sent and received as formal messages with each message containing:
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| d) | Note that written authorization must be received from the appropriate agency official prior to transmitting a message involving the expenditure of money or the allocation of resources. |
| e) | Messages may be given to the ARES/RACES message handlers either in written form or verbally.
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| f) | Radio messages from other locations will be received by the radio operators.
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| g) | Direct voice communications between customers
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The team leader will be responsible for resolving any ARES/RACES related problems that occur at the IOC during the mission. Problems will be resolved by coordinating with the site POC and with ARES/RACE leadership as appropriate.
The team leader?s goal is to keep the POC and the customers happy by providing the best service possible. The service provided by the team is radio communications support. If the POC or customers request the team to perform other duties, those duties must first be approved by the ARES/RACES leadership. If these other duties are beyond what the team is prepared to do, or authorized to do, then the team leader must so inform the POC and customer in a polite manner, realizing that the POC and customer are probably under consider stress do to the situation.
While the team?s primary role is to provide the IOC with communications support, this support may be broader than just amateur radio support. Communications support may mean any function that also includes communications. Thus the support provided by the ARES/RACES team may include:
| a) | Amateur radio communications support. |
| b) | Handling message traffic for organizations at the IOC over their communication channels. |
| c) | Serving as a radio dispatcher for the IOC using their radios. |
| d) | Handling computer emergency message traffic for the IOC over the internet. |
| e) | Helping other organizations at the IOC set up their radio and computer equipment. |
| f) | Resolving interference problems. |
| g) | Helping other organizations get connected to the internet. |
It is the responsibility of the ARES/RACES team leader to coordinate each request for communications support with the POC and with ARES/RACES leadership. This must be done to ensure that the ARES/RACES team members are utilized in the most effective manner in, accordance with the IOC?s priorities and possibly those established by higher authorities beyond the IOC being served.
The press is likely to be present in any emergency situation. The problem with ARES/RACES team members speaking with the press is that anything that they say will likely be reported only in part or taken out of context. As a consequence, what gets reported often conveys a much different perception of the situation than the team member intended. Nothing gets an organization more upset than reading or hearing a press report of their operations which they did not authorize and which may be very damaging and misleading. As a result, ARES/RACES team members are not to speak with the press. If a team member is hounded by the press, then he/she should refer the press to the ARES/RACES team leader. The team leader is not allowed to make any statements to the press either. What the team leader can do, however, is to get the press away from the team, so that the team can do their work, and take the press over to the IOC?s Public Information Officer. The Public Information Officer, or equivalent, is the only person at the IOC authorized to give statements to the press. This policy keeps the ARES/RACES team out of trouble.
The team leader is responsible for maintaining the site team at the appropriate staffing level. The size of the team must be increased if the message traffic is overwhelming the team. The team can be reduced in size if the work load is light. The required size of the team may vary over a 24 hour period and over several days.
The team leader is also responsible for scheduling relief for team members, including him or herself, in the form of multiple shifts as appropriate. During a shift change, the current team leader must provide the team leader of the next shift with the following information:
Each team leader must keep an individual log book containing an account of all significant team related activity that occurred at the site during his/her shifts, including a description of any problems that occurred and the resolution of those problems. Each entry in the log must be accompanied with the time and date that the event or activity occurred. Team leader log book entries are often the only way, at a later date, to reconstruct what really happened. Because of their potential importance, log entries must contain enough detail to be useful. At a later time it may be important for the ARES/RACES leadership to obtain a copy of a team leader?s log book. If a copy is required, the team leader has an obligation to provide the requested copy. However, good business practice dictates that team leaders should never relinquish control of their individual log books since their log books are the only records that they have of what actually occurred on their shifts.
During a shift change, the current team leader must brief the next team leader on all events and activities that have occurred which may be important to the next shift. The team leader being briefed should make notes of these events as the initial entries in his/her log book for the up coming shift.
Logs of each message sent and received by the team must also be kept. The best message logs are the actual message forms themselves. Thus copies or originals of the message forms for all messages transmitted and received by the team must be carefully retained in a message log book. It is the responsibility of the team leader to ensure that this happens.
The ARES/RACES IOC Operations Plan, described in Sections 1.3 and 1.5.4, must be maintained by the team leaders throughout the mission. This plan, along with the logs of messages sent and received, forms the official site log for the team. This official log will become the team?s site report at the end of the mission.
The team leader shall bring the mission to an orderly close when:
The team leader shall ensure that both the site POC and the ARES/RACES leadership are aware that the mission is being terminated.
Messages currently being handled will be transmitted or received as appropriate. No additional messages will be accepted.
The duties of the team members following the stations shut down will be determined prior to closing the station.
The frequency to be used by team members for communicating with ARES/RACES leadership when leaving the site for redeployment or returning home shall be determined. Members are required to notify ARES/RACES leadership when they leave the site, indicate the route that they will follow, and report in when they reach their next assignment or arrive home. This communications allow ARES/RACES leadership to ensure that members safely arrive home or to their next assignment.
Final permission to shut the radio station down must be obtained from net control. Once permission is received, the radio station will be shut down, disassembled, and packed up in preparation for leaving the site. Again, extreme care must be exercised by the team to avoid any damage to the area in which they have been working.
The team leader must note in his/her log any damage that occurred and report this damage to the POC and to the ARES/RACES leadership.
The team leader will meet with the POC while the clean up is in progress to receive any final comments, suggestions, or requests that the POC may have concerning the ARES/RACES activities at the IOC. This is an opportunity for the team leader to thank the POC for all the help and support that the IOC personnel provided to the ARES/RACES team. When clean up is completed, the team leader will notify the POC that the team is leaving the site and the team will depart.
Following the IOC mission, the team leader will submit a written report of the mission to the ARES/RACES leadership. The written report shall include:
Prior to writing the mission report, the team leader should conduct a mission debrief with all team members, and with the site POC if possible, to ensure that the report contains an accurate account of everything that occurred during the mission. If the IOC Planning Form has been properly maintained, then it can be edited to become the mission report. This is much easier for the team leader to do than writing a report from scratch. The outline format of the IOC Planning Form is also easier for ARES/RACES leadership to read.