TC ARES Homeland Security Planning Document
Introduction
Updating Residents of Trinity County by radio during major emergencies is not practical or possible at real time...Trinity County has no truelocal wide-area broadcast stations (01/07/04), AM, FM, or TV. Another factor is the widely differing terrain, and the widely separated areas people reside in Trinity. Some areas of Trinity are more closely aligned with services in Humboldt, Shasta, Siskiyou and Mendocino and often are focused in that direction..
The Amateur Radio Community is also widely dispursed and are not located in all parts of Trinity County. This specialty Ham Radio group TCARES is looking for a wide- area Update method to use under the worst case senario with a plan in place before the emergency. They are going to utilize a similar "radio watch" system and their already in service wireless "packet" MAILBOX wb6fzh-1 to suit their special needs.
For ordinary citizens, during emergencies do not have this specialized ability to get and give informatio to Trinity County Government and Public Safety Officials. Local regional/area communications, like the work-in-progress Trinity County ARES Community Radio Plan are more suited to individual communities.to communicate within their local area, and to relay information to other nearby communities with similar communications. This would benefit greatly by the system suggested in the next few paragraphs.
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THIS IS THE PROPOSED TCSO/TCOES EMERGENCY BROADCAST IDEA
One senario that would be of great potential is very simple, requires no new equipment for the Official Broadcast Provider nor the stations receiving it or relaying the content.
The Trinity County Sheriff's Office is also the TC OES, and is also the main coordinated radio dispatch for various services, including Fire, Medical and Law Enforement.. In times of emergency, they are the agency responsible to provide for our safety. They broadcast to their users utilizing mountaintop "repeater" stations, these stations have battery back-up and are often solar or generator powered. They are designed to be reliable and efficient.
SENARIO- During times of emergency (fire, flood, weather, earthquake, terrorist incident effecting power, telecommunications, biologic hazzard,etc.) The COUNTY COMMON CHANNEL, often used to communicate with FIRE, ROAD DEPARTMENT, EMS, etc. It's frequency has not changed in many years. there are SCANNER RADIOS old and new in the posession of individuals, business and groups that regularly listen to the channel (155.115mhz repeater output) in hope of figuring out what may be going on that may involves their safety. SMOKE IN SKY, EVACUATION from fast spreading fire with timely notification impossible....... extended power failure (if scanner is battery powered), STORMS (heavy snow), etc. For many years this has been a way of life for those that understand and utilize radio reception.in various parts of Trinity County.
What if a system was implemented during disasters that took advantage of this fact, and actively encouraged use of reception reports, by making information availiable to any that wished to listen seeking emergency information.
THE IDEA- Use a technique often called a RADIO WATCH, lets say that 5 minutes before to 5 miutes after the hour 24hrs a day (or even ODD or EVEN HOURS) cold be established. An official of the TCSO be charged with the responsibility to draft a simple statement that would give general information about the emergency, and/or direct the listener to another, perhaps commercial broadcast station, or other AGENCY's FREQUENCY for more information.
This gives a window of 10 minutes for a dispatcher, or other person to make the transmission to those that are expecting it. If the window of opportunity is full of higher priority radio transmissions at dispatch, on other frequencies, perhaps a vehicle radio or back-up radio, or alternate user on radio system be deligated to make the transmission during the window, or the next available time circumstance permits, then resume the ten minute window the next hour,etc. The format could be developed by TCSO.
One possibile format is the use of an alert tone to get the attention of those listening for this information.- Three(or other number) short tones 1000CPS, or similar (NOTE- A paging tone assignment, unique to this function can be assigned for those that wish to purchase receivers with this option) ... then pause.. then SLOWLY read the message REPEATING any important parts or FREQUENCIES,etc. The format would be published on websites, be present at all VFD/VFC and other appropriate locations so this vital service could be utilized to the greatest extent. If the degree of severity of the emergency was such that additional information was forth-coming, and to be broadcast sooner or addtitionally, that variation could be worked into broadcast. There is no limitation to the ways it could be used based on TCSO/OES need to communicate to the residents.
OTHER RELATED RESULTING ACTIONS
Some information about developing application for distribution of this information.... This important safety information could be relayed by various NON public safety radio users through the use of other EXISTING radio systems during an emergency.
At this time in Trinity County there is the Trinity County Amateur Radio Club and it's associated Trinity County Amateur Radio Emergency Service group that is affiliated with other ARES groups nationwide. Under some circumstances the TCARES and other "Hams" will be present at Red Cross Shelters, IC location, their own ECU(comm trailer) or at their homes, business, mobile, etc. All listening to their own repeater networks or direct communicaitons using voice or digital communications.
THE INFORMATION FROM TCOES/TCSO could be RELAYED to them so they would be able to liason the information to the Community Radio System that is being planned. It would only be one of several ways to input information to these regional "local" commuications systems.
There is currently being planned and tested (Coffee Creek Area) a Community Radio Plan by TC ARES. Working notes are available in the TCARES WEBSITE, and when the first draft of the plan is ready, it will be shared with the TC Fire Chiefs Association, and any other appropriate organization that will be associated with it's functions to gain the greatest possible understanding and efficient utilization of existing communications to this community based emergency communications plan. There has been an emerging national plan that has been being developed over last several years, this working plan is compatible for the most part with it, and will continue to review it's content
Simply, it takes non-licensed and business band licensed (fill out form) radios that are easy to use, and inexpensive like FRS, MURS, CB,GMRS, business band, etc.and publish a simple plan assigning particular frequencies (channels) to particular functions. THE TCSO/TCOES information can be distributed to this system... by their TCARES liason, volunteer fire department or auxilary for further distribution.
Since these Community Radio Plans utilize TWO-WAY radios, they can collect information, report life-safety information, give observations of weather, smoke, fire direction, flood situation, etc. and it can allow the traditional center of community safety, the Volunteer Fire Departments (or others) to have information FROM their local residents too. THE LIASON or LIASONs are the ones monitoring the Community Radio System and relaying to VFD, or Public Safety Dispatch,etc. depending on system in use.. important information, WITHOUT HAVING VALUABLE PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL OCCUPIED WITH NEW OR ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBIILITIES.
THIS developing COMMUNITY RADIO SYSTEM, is FOR WORST CASE EMERGENCIES IN PARTICULAR, if individual communities want to use it to different degrees at different times that would be up to them. The community would be able to communicate, and help itself during major disasters that typically would not have them in close communication with eachother or public safety.
Each area would have assistance from TC ARES and others to set up what works for them. If a community desires to have a community radio system coordinated with their local VFD fine. If not, individuals may be able to utilize another community's system, by connecting by radio, and providing information or receivinig needed help through the radio. The association with VFDs is obvious, they are each communities most obvious source of safety services.
IT IS A 100% VOLUNTARY SYSTEM.. as usefull as each community makes it. The sole function is to provide essential communications during extend telephone, power, etc. outages.
First Draft: July 2001
Last Updated: July 28, 2005