Release date: 6/09/07
Latest update: N/A
Areas covered by this document are:
This plan provides information and guidelines to facilitate the sharing of amateur radio communications, human and technical resources within the state of Colorado as they relate to public service emergency and support requests.
The primary method of providing ongoing, non-emergency communications between Serving Groups will be the statewide ARES nets held on HF and VHF radio each Sunday morning. During district checkins several key elements shall be mentioned:
All participants should check these announcements to minimize conflict with their own planning. All ARES, RACES and affiliated groups are encouraged to appoint a responsible individual to participate in the nets on a regular basis.
Appendix B contains a list of the amateur frequencies that all Serving Groups intend to use in an emergency. This list is the definition of the coordinated frequencies to be used in emergencies. In conflicts that arise during an emergency, this listing will identify the priority users of the frequencies.
Appendix C contains the list of ARES District and other Serving Group nets.
In a large-scale incident involving multiple nets, the Serving Group operations-coordinator / mission-coordinator shall assign an individual and equipment to handle liaison and coordination with other Serving Groups. Duties should be focused on coordination and not diverted by the actual emergency.
No serving group shall self activate for any incident. They may begin preparation of individuals and equipment but shall not activate until requested by a served agency.
If any Serving Group has been asked to operate in an area outside of their normal area that is served by another group, the visiting group shall contact the local group for that area to coordinate a response. Reports will be forwarded to the Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) and also made available via the State-wide ARES Web Page.
Participating organizations are encouraged to monitor 3.928 Mhz and 7.235 Mhz and RACES units should monitor 3.990.5 Mhz, when there is any indication of emergencies within Colorado to facilitate support in less populated areas.
In order to facilitate communications between groups and spread knowledge, an After-Action Report shall be published after each event or incident.
All ARES districts shall implement the ARRL ECOM Training material.
Training is critical to the ability of any group to work effectively once an emergency occurs. Groups are encouraged to define the training requirements for individuals in their group. ARES Districts agree to make efforts to share training with other groups and will notify other groups of their training sessions via the Sunday morning statewide VHF and HF nets, or by other means. Groups are encouraged to post training materials on the Statewide ARES Web Page.
Formal training to include (but not limited to):
The goal of resource management is to have adequate personnel and equipment available when and where needed in support of the served agency(ies) and the serving groups.
When the mission coordinator deems that a resource management effort is required, it shall be established on a separate frequency from the Tactical Net and a resource management team established. If more than one group is involved, the team should include a member from each group. Volunteers, requests for equipment, and personnel will be referred to the resource management frequency. General information, announcements, etc., may also be handled on this frequency.
A staging area, where resources meet before going to their work site, has many advantages and is recommended. The ideal staging area will be outside the affected area, easy to find, and near a main road. The location of this staging area shall be selected after consultation with other involved groups and the served agency(ies) and may be a portion of the staging area used by the served agency. In a large situation, the resource team should have a member at the staging area to coordinate and relay available resource information to the resource team. Only persons available and ready for assignment or those coming off assignment shall be at the staging area. Amateur Radio operators will not go directly to any site other than the staging area unless authorized by net control or resource team.
Each volunteer shall contact their own designated representative (EC / RO) and then the resource net, if operating, to volunteer for an event. First choice of event workers will be trained members and preference will be given to staffing single locations with people from a single group. Lists of personnel and equipment will not be centralized. Each group will maintain their own list of equipment and personnel.
If local resources are insufficient, the resource management team shall contact the SEC and officers of serving groups in nearby areas to ask for resources. It is the responsibility of the resource manager to fully specify what they need. It is the responsibility of the officer of the asked serving group to estimate what his group can realistically provide and to assure that the group has adequate training, leadership and equipment for the assignment.
The resource manager shall provide information about the local conditions and advise of special requirements or conditions. Each group shall notify the resource manager if they are unable to provide the requested resources. Any limitations on the field team, such as health restrictions, must be conveyed to the resource manager.
In a multi-day event, there will be a resource net to confirm assignments for the following day. This net will be scheduled to support the planning cycle at the Incident Command Post. Each Serving Group involved shall have a designated person check in and report for their group.
Shift durations should be established to allow overlap for briefing/de-briefing.
The resource manager is responsible for generating resource reports. These reports will inform other groups about the Amateur Radio resources and schedules needed for this event. These reports will include:
A resource report shall be distributed to the Section Emergency Coordinator (SEC) via E-mail if possible.
Each Serving Group shall prepare an individual emergency plan addressing all aspects of its preparedness. Emergency Operating Plans should be made available on the Statewide ARES Web Page. As a minimum, each plan shall address the following issues:
Most emergencies occur at a local level. As such each local Serving Group is responsible for the following:
A large-scale event is one that involves Amateur Radio Operators from outside the local area. For large-scale events, the following guidelines apply:
An Operations Net shall be established to begin every incident. If the magnitude of the incident warrants, a Resource Management Net shall be established on a separate frequency. The use of inexperienced NCS operators is discouraged.
During all emergencies or major events a second person should be assigned to the NCS operator. This person will handle logging and contact with served agencies as necessary.
If any of the following tasks must covered at the NCS location, additional personnel should be assigned as required:
When ever possible the NCS location will be separate from the Incident Command Post. This allows the NCS to have better access to needed frequencies (better antennas, locations, multiple bands, multiple modes, telephone access, less confusion, etc.) and concentrate on communication. It also reduces the noise and confusion at the Incident Command Post.
When beginning an incident net it is usually more efficient to start the net from someone's home. This allows the use of established equipment in calm and roomy conditions. If appropriate, the NCS location can later be transferred, once resource allocation is underway and the magnitude of our participation is understood.
Safety must be everyone's concern. Emergency service may involve inherently hazardous situations. In our litigious society, almost any activity can involve legal considerations. The ideas below are guidelines that will improve safety and reduce risk.
Assure that members understand that emergency service can be hazardous, that he/she agrees to assume the risks, and that he/she may decline any assignment for any reason. Be sure each person understands that they are responsible for their own safety.
If possible, Workman's Compensation Insurance should be obtained for members. In many cases, it may be possible to obtain a written agreement with the served agency in which the agency agrees to provide Workman's Compensation Insurance coverage for members serving the agency.
It is advantageous for any serving group to be a legal nonprofit corporation, registered with the state and the IRS. Colorado state law (CRS 13-21-116) provides protection for the directors of nonprofit corporations. "No member of the board of the directors of a nonprofit corporation or non profit organization shall be held liable for actions taken or omissions made in the performance of his duties as a board member except for wanton and willful acts and omissions." "Nonprofit corporation means any corporation which is exempt from taxation pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the federal Internal Revenue Code of 1986..."
The Volunteer Protection Act (Public Law 105-19) was enacted on June 18, 1997. This law provides certain protections to volunteers, nonprofit organizations, and governmental entities in lawsuits based on the activities of volunteers.