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How Prepared Are You?

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by KM4ACK, Sep 19, 2019.

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  1. WW5F

    WW5F Ham Member QRZ Page

    K5XOM, I partially agree with you.

    As someone who was tasked to test communications equipment for interoperable communications between all branches of the U.S. military (secure telephones and computers/data networks) for 3 years (before, during and after the event of September 11, 2001) at the Joint Interoperability Test Command at Ft. Huachuca, AZ, let me say this:

    Google terms like:

    "current state of emergency communications between local, state and federal agencies"
    "Interoperable Communications for First Responders"

    And you'll see "our government" is still struggling with interoperable communications. The different agencies are still saying their systems work best for them and everybody else should migrate to their systems while other agencies are still saying -that system- won't work for them so they're not buying it and they're sticking with *their* systems.

    When a natural disaster happens and the federal government declares it "a disaster area", all that does is allocate federal money to be spent on the local area. How is it spent? (beside the corruption it promotes...) Well, the federal agencies send in people and the problem of effective communications and interoperable communications becomes an issue.

    Still, the only solution is for the federal agency to bring their own radio equipment and try to set up as close as possible or, if possible, co-locate with the local 911 office. (They talk with their local first responders every day via radio, so they're already good at it.) Along with the existing radios used to coordinate local fire and police, another radio (and another person) is placed in there to communicate with the deployed FEMA folks (or whoever else) and to yell across desks in the 911 office to the local folks to coordinate efforts. And if that's not possible, cell phones.

    So, yes, our government has plenty of resources to get the emergency communications through if they're serious about it and enough money is allocated.

    But, no, our state of interoperable communications at different levels of government is still in a state of disarray.

    Right now, as far as I can see, the integration of Ham Radio into (*real*) emergency communications depends on the state of the *current relationship* between our local first responders and our local ham club. The key is to find out if there are any weaknesses at the local 911 communications center (right now! Before the disaster happens!) and sell the idea to them that Ham Radio can fill those gaps so they can integrate ham radio into their plans. That way, they're ready for you when you show up immediately after the disaster happens as they are transitioning to a mode of chaos/crisis management as the "mode of ops de jour".

    Waiting for a disaster to wreck the local area and *then* showing up at the local 911 call center and asking, "what can we do to help?" is too late to participate in any meaningful way. They're going to be too busy with other things to think about making you *feel good* about participating.

    Outside of that, the only thing we're good at is passing health and welfare traffic. For that, without prior advertising, we'll be sitting at our well built, fully functioning, off-grid, DC-LIGHT, all mode, local to global communications systems with no traffic to pass and people out there wondering if their family members are still ok.

    I've mentioned this before:

    #1. PLAN
    #2. PRACTICE
     
    PA0MHS likes this.
  2. KI4ZUI

    KI4ZUI Ham Member QRZ Page

    Will moniter, receive, digest your transmit but will not respond. Hanging back in defilade to survive your attack.
     
    WW5F and WN1MB like this.
  3. WW5F

    WW5F Ham Member QRZ Page

    Given the state of my local ham club and depending on the severity of the current situation, chances are this will be my initial posture also.
     
  4. N2TLR

    N2TLR Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ammo. Lots and lots of ammo.

    And the willingness to use it.
     
    K3XR, NL7W, KB9OAK and 2 others like this.
  5. K2NCC

    K2NCC Ham Member QRZ Page

    And hopefully enough training and skills to not shoot any good guys! :)
     
    N2TLR likes this.
  6. NL7W

    NL7W Ham Member QRZ Page

    Because "2B" leaves too many questions...
     
    WJ4U likes this.
  7. WA5VGO

    WA5VGO Ham Member QRZ Page

    Your experience with natural disasters is certainly much different than mine. Disasters have always pulled our community together, not pitted us against each other.
     
  8. N8GIR

    N8GIR Ham Member QRZ Page

    For What?
     
  9. KD7YVV

    KD7YVV Ham Member QRZ Page

    I recently replied to a similar topic here on the Zed.
    To sum that reply up, in order, am I safe, my family, my house, my neighbors....

    https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?th...ncy-communications.674709/page-2#post-5210933

    Radio is the last thing on my mind in a disaster and while the video is more on the subject
    of communications (well this IS a ham forum after all) being prepared means much more than
    making sure your batteries are charged and comms are working.
    The video author is correct when he says that your equipment should be tested in order to find its limits.
    He is also correct in having a disaster plan in regards on where family members should meet up.

    It's just my opinion, but during a disaster, travel is one of the last things that should be done unless you are
    in immediate danger. As above, is my domicile safe? If is it, then that's where I'm staying.
    Mr. Neighbor can't contact his family out of state because the phones are down?
    There's ham radio, and the National Traffic System. Slow, but it works.
    Here in WA, things can happen that can disrupt normal life for quite a while.

    I once posted a thread that got a lot of response, "If it were a real emergency"

    https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?threads/if-it-were-a-real-emergency.178100/

    The bottom line is, once my own safety etc. is assured, then my family, and my domicile, THEN
    I'll offer help to the neighbors and try to contact loved ones for them.
    The best thing I can do in a disaster is stay out of the way and not become a liability instead of an asset.

    As I've said in other threads and posts, I don't live and breathe emcomm 24/7/365.
    I DO however take the time to learn new things that can help me during a disaster, and if it's
    just helping my elderly neighbor contact a relative, that's good enough for me.

    As I sit here watching the Weather Channel, they're talking about a significant snow event
    with possible blizzard conditions. Is this a disaster or emergency? No.
    Is it a weather event to be prepared for? Yes.
    Whenever a hurricane approaches Florida, you see the stories and video of store shelves empty
    as people ready themselves for the storm.

    A thought, ham radio isn't the only communications I listen to.
    There's FRS, GMRS, CB, as well as listening to the local public service agencies on the scanner.
    The author makes many great points in his video. With colder weather coming to the USA,
    now is the time to prepare your house/apartment.

    Make sure your heating system is in proper working order.

    Also, the Fire Department recommends that you replace your smoke/carbon monoxide alarm batteries
    when the change to Standard Time takes place. (Sunday, November 3, 2019, 1:00:00).

    And as a final thought, ham radio is FUN! Go on, take a bit of time, take a small station to a park and
    do something you don't normally do. and have a good time doing it.
    Not everything has to be a disaster etc., but you know the old saying about an ounce of prevention.....

    --KD7YVV, (A man, a plan, a can, and no can opener)
     
    W7ASA and N2AMM like this.
  10. KR4EE

    KR4EE XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    During the 2010 Nashville flood stores were out of trash bags, bleach, N95 masks, shovels, rakes, work gloves, for a while.
    I have some emergency stuff and I partake of all the amendments of the constitution. I'm disabled so I'm not going anywhere so no go-bag. (though I do enjoy operating portable)

    Also

    some movies at Internet Archive

    Starfish Prime Interim Report By Commander JTF-8 by Department of Energy
    https://archive.org/details/StarfishPrimeInterimReportByCommanderJTF8

    Nuclear Weapon Effects on the Ionosphere
    https://archive.org/details/sri-fishbowl-nuclear-tests
     
  11. N2TLR

    N2TLR Ham Member QRZ Page

    I've been thru a couple of hurricanes and a few earthquakes, so probably not too different. Besides, we were talking about zombies anyway, weren't we?
     
  12. KA4ANA

    KA4ANA XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Being prepared just comes natural to some people...but too few really prepare. Just look at the "PLANNED" power outage in California...millions knew it was coming yet how few really prepared. To bad some people just never learn and then...well you know that story. Be like the Ant and not the Grasshopper in that famous Fable. Prepare like there is no tomorrow because your loved one are counting on you too! 73 my fellow Ham. Never say die! Jason keep up your Good Works!!!
     
    KM4ACK likes this.
  13. KA2IRQ

    KA2IRQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    ... and they follow that by complaining about the government, the utility, management, etc... all to place blame everywhere but where it belongs- on themselves for not preparing based on the situations that can occur where they voluntarily chose to live.

    I live in NJ- and if I don't prepare for an earthquake, well, understandable. We don't live in an earthquake prone area (not that it can't occur). But if I don't prepare for a hurricane or nor'easter, of which we have several per year, there's no one to blame but myself.
     
    KM4ACK and WN1MB like this.
  14. WA2LXB

    WA2LXB XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Am I prepared for what?

    The highest known local risks to life safety are what one should prepare for...both for peace of mind and to reduce burdens to local shelters and emergency personnel. In our part of the country the highest risks are the natural disasters of flooding, blizzards and ice storms. We address those risks by having plans for: Shelter, water, heat, food, medical, and self defense. Key tools also include a generator, gasoline, hand tools and a chain saw.

    365 days a year an AM/FM radio and SAME radio are essential to knowing that a disaster might be coming and knowing what's going on outside of your immediate neighborhood and they are especially important during a disaster. Ham radio would be key to knowing what your like-minded Hams are up to in the local area and how you can support each other and local emergency services once it is safe to do so.

    If you care about your community, you can also work with your immediate neighbors to make sure they are prepared too.

    https://www.usa.gov/prepare-for-disasters
    https://www.nationalservice.gov/res.../training-community-members-prepare-disasters
    https://www.dhs.gov/how-do-i/prepare-my-family-disaster
    https://staysafe.org/how-to-prepare-yourself-and-your-community-for-natural-disasters/
     
    WN1MB likes this.
  15. KM4WUO

    KM4WUO Ham Member QRZ Page

    Back in 2011, there was an earthquake in Virginia. I'd never been in one before. While the building was still shaking, I got out my cell phone and called the wife. We were able to talk only for about 30 seconds and then the cell network crashed. And, not just that carrier - ALL cell networks crashed. It took almost 2 hours for any kind of cell comms, including text messages, to come back on line.

    In Puerto Rico, many organizations had VoIP phones. Much of the cell traffic was carried by fiber optic lines. The same poles that carried power lines carried the fiber lines. When those got more-or-less completely destroyed, power went out, fiber lines were cut, land-line phones didn't work, VoIP lines didn't work, cell networks didn't work, and public-safety repeaters didn't work. Everybody thinks that cell, land-lines, and internet are 3 separate modes of communication. They aren't. They all depend on each other. Take out the fiber lines, neither internet nor cell network traffic can flow anywhere. Even the cell towers themselves were anywhere from partially damaged (antennas knocked out of alignment to the point where they weren't going to work even if they had power or backhaul lines functioning (which they didn't so the point was moot) to completely broken off 20-30 feet from the ground.

    Widespread grid-down scenarios would be very similar to the experience of Puerto Rico and it would not at all be pleasant. Everyone should not only have sufficient supplies to deal with the immediate aftermath, but in the case of hams, you need to be able to stay on the air for at least a couple of weeks. In PR, it took 2 full weeks before the first fuel trucks started transporting fuel anywhere to anybody. Even FEMA now is suggesting first reponders have 1 week's self-sustainment provisions for their crews. That's up from the 72-hour rule they used to encourage. Since I have personally seen examples of 5-day to 2-week (and in one case of a person I met in PR, 2 MONTH) unavailability of power, cell, and other things, I've achieved having 2 weeks of food, water, and power (including mutiple solar panels for the radios) as my minimum.
     
    WA2LXB and WN1MB like this.

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