Aaaaaahhhhif-I-, were KING, of teh FOHHRAAAAAAST!
For those of you who don't know, I may end up being the ARES Emergency Coordinator for Okaloosa County here shortly. Then again, I might not, which is why this little planning document is on an flocked post. I'm letting you guys read it to make sure it sounds rational, and I'm begging for anything relevant (or non-sequitish) to be said about it.
PLAN OF ACTION
Examine the current mission of ARES in Okaloosa County.
The primary mission of Okaloosa ARES during times of emergency is to keep lines of communication open between critical locations and the EOC at all times.
GREEN BLUE YELLOW ORANGE RED
Pre-activation (not always applicable)
Activation / Incident in Progress
Post-incident
UNACTIVATED
Conduct quarterly drills using existing equipment and realistic scenarios
Recruit new ARES members
Review emergency response plans
ACTIVATED / Incident In Progress
Deploy ARES members to critical locations
Operate continually until situation cleared
Shift and rotate team members as practical
POST-INCIDENT
Evaulate team performance
Make recommendations, changes, etc
UPON BECOMING EC:
.. Get a brain dump from Steve N4GXX (rosters, lists, ARES plans, etc)
.. Get a clear picture of the ARES chain of command
..... Make contact with Ken and Randy
.. Review, trim, and add to operational ARES rosters as needed
..... Three categories of ARES members: Immediate Deployment, Emergency Relief, Conditional Deployment
.. Contact ARES ECs responsible for coastal ARES from Mobile to Apalachicola; check on Mutual Aid Agreements
ARES MEMBERS
Three types, of varying levels and timing of response. RESPONDANTS WILL SELF-CLASSIFY!
RED operators are typically ready to respond to a situation within 12-24 hours of an emergency situation being declared. Ideally, these people are young, high-energy, and single, or have family situations that are favorable to immediate deployment (i.e., couple with no children; wife is either an ARES member or has solid alternate emergency plans). Able to commit to two to four days of local service with less than a week's notice. In case of a regional incident, RED operators may be able to deploy out of their local area.
ORANGE operators are members who, while eager to assist, need to continue to secure family and property during emergency situations. These operators may be ideal to relieve ARES operators who have been on continual duty for up to 72 hours, once the situation has stabilized, but will typically be unable to respond immediately to local disasters. In case of a regional incident, ORANGE operators may be able to deploy out of their local area.
BLUE operators are low-mobility, high-notice, low-availability operators. They will typically be unavailable for deployment to either local or team-based ARES operations. However, they are welcome to participate in advanced-notice drills, act as support staff during times of non-emergency, and may be able, on a case-by-case basis, to relieve ORANGE or RED operators locally. They may play a support role operating from their own base stations during times of emergency (i.e., record keeping, traffic handling, etc). They are invited to participate in planning and team-building exercises.
PLANNING AND TEAM BUILDING
It is vital that, when called together for an emergency, an ARES team (1) show up, and (2) work together. Personal vendettas and agendas are particularly unwelcome. Okaloosa ARES will perform such team-building exercises as are deemed profitable. Hell, it might just be bowling or lunch or something, but it is vital that ARES members lay eyes on each other, and learn names and faces, BEFORE THE EMERGENCY. It's bad enough to have a Category 4 hurricane bearing down on your home. People will not leave in times of emergency for unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations.
THEREFORE
The primary goal of ARES in “peacetime” will be to create a functional, trained team, that is aware of its limitations and abilities.
The primary goal of ARES in emergency situations is to provide emergency communications in vital situations, as directed by the Incident Commander.
POTENTIAL SCENARIOS REQUIRING ARES INVOLVEMENT
Hurricane
This one could happen up to four or five times during the hurricane season. All ARES ops should observe closely any meteorological incidents in the Gulf of Mexico. Operators are generally needed 24 hours before anticipated landfall. Operators are posted at key locations, including the Okaloosa County EOC, all open shelters, and as directed by the Incident Commander. In case of significant crisis, ARES operators are also called upon to do damage assessment. POTENTIAL TRAINING SCENARIOS (PTS): Incident In Progress (1-3hr); Damage Assessment (2-4hr); Equipment and Staff Familiarization
9/11 Style Disaster / Terrorist Strike
Immediate response unlikely, given our lack of proximity to high-value terrorist targets. Higher emphasis placed on creating a long-term (7-10 day) jump team, with varying levels of self-sustainability (from “better have an RV to sleep in” to “cheap hotel?”). TRAINING SCENARIOS: Collection of a jump team and packing of equipment (6hr). Potential self-sustained activity “in the field” (i.e., at a campgrounds) - 18-36 hours
PLAN OF ACTION
Examine the current mission of ARES in Okaloosa County.
The primary mission of Okaloosa ARES during times of emergency is to keep lines of communication open between critical locations and the EOC at all times.
GREEN BLUE YELLOW ORANGE RED
Pre-activation (not always applicable)
Activation / Incident in Progress
Post-incident
UNACTIVATED
Conduct quarterly drills using existing equipment and realistic scenarios
Recruit new ARES members
Review emergency response plans
ACTIVATED / Incident In Progress
Deploy ARES members to critical locations
Operate continually until situation cleared
Shift and rotate team members as practical
POST-INCIDENT
Evaulate team performance
Make recommendations, changes, etc
UPON BECOMING EC:
.. Get a brain dump from Steve N4GXX (rosters, lists, ARES plans, etc)
.. Get a clear picture of the ARES chain of command
..... Make contact with Ken and Randy
.. Review, trim, and add to operational ARES rosters as needed
..... Three categories of ARES members: Immediate Deployment, Emergency Relief, Conditional Deployment
.. Contact ARES ECs responsible for coastal ARES from Mobile to Apalachicola; check on Mutual Aid Agreements
ARES MEMBERS
Three types, of varying levels and timing of response. RESPONDANTS WILL SELF-CLASSIFY!
RED operators are typically ready to respond to a situation within 12-24 hours of an emergency situation being declared. Ideally, these people are young, high-energy, and single, or have family situations that are favorable to immediate deployment (i.e., couple with no children; wife is either an ARES member or has solid alternate emergency plans). Able to commit to two to four days of local service with less than a week's notice. In case of a regional incident, RED operators may be able to deploy out of their local area.
ORANGE operators are members who, while eager to assist, need to continue to secure family and property during emergency situations. These operators may be ideal to relieve ARES operators who have been on continual duty for up to 72 hours, once the situation has stabilized, but will typically be unable to respond immediately to local disasters. In case of a regional incident, ORANGE operators may be able to deploy out of their local area.
BLUE operators are low-mobility, high-notice, low-availability operators. They will typically be unavailable for deployment to either local or team-based ARES operations. However, they are welcome to participate in advanced-notice drills, act as support staff during times of non-emergency, and may be able, on a case-by-case basis, to relieve ORANGE or RED operators locally. They may play a support role operating from their own base stations during times of emergency (i.e., record keeping, traffic handling, etc). They are invited to participate in planning and team-building exercises.
PLANNING AND TEAM BUILDING
It is vital that, when called together for an emergency, an ARES team (1) show up, and (2) work together. Personal vendettas and agendas are particularly unwelcome. Okaloosa ARES will perform such team-building exercises as are deemed profitable. Hell, it might just be bowling or lunch or something, but it is vital that ARES members lay eyes on each other, and learn names and faces, BEFORE THE EMERGENCY. It's bad enough to have a Category 4 hurricane bearing down on your home. People will not leave in times of emergency for unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations.
THEREFORE
The primary goal of ARES in “peacetime” will be to create a functional, trained team, that is aware of its limitations and abilities.
The primary goal of ARES in emergency situations is to provide emergency communications in vital situations, as directed by the Incident Commander.
POTENTIAL SCENARIOS REQUIRING ARES INVOLVEMENT
Hurricane
This one could happen up to four or five times during the hurricane season. All ARES ops should observe closely any meteorological incidents in the Gulf of Mexico. Operators are generally needed 24 hours before anticipated landfall. Operators are posted at key locations, including the Okaloosa County EOC, all open shelters, and as directed by the Incident Commander. In case of significant crisis, ARES operators are also called upon to do damage assessment. POTENTIAL TRAINING SCENARIOS (PTS): Incident In Progress (1-3hr); Damage Assessment (2-4hr); Equipment and Staff Familiarization
9/11 Style Disaster / Terrorist Strike
Immediate response unlikely, given our lack of proximity to high-value terrorist targets. Higher emphasis placed on creating a long-term (7-10 day) jump team, with varying levels of self-sustainability (from “better have an RV to sleep in” to “cheap hotel?”). TRAINING SCENARIOS: Collection of a jump team and packing of equipment (6hr). Potential self-sustained activity “in the field” (i.e., at a campgrounds) - 18-36 hours