[ARRL-OK] ARES Oklahoma at Emergency Managers Conference

[Mark D. Conklin N7XYO]

ARES Oklahoma at Emergency Managers Conference

Tulsa, Okla – From September 19-20 Emergency Managers (EMs) from all over
Oklahoma gathered in Tulsa for the annual conference of the Oklahoma
Emergency Management Association (OEMA).  Amateur Radio Emergency Service
Oklahoma (ARESOK) was invited by OEMA to have an information booth at the
conference.

Mark Conklin, N7XYO Zone 4/5 Emergency Coordinator in ARES Oklahoma
(ARESOK), has been networking with Oklahoma’s emergency managers in North
Eastern Oklahoma for some time to help educate then about ARESOKs
capabilities and how we can assist them with their emergency
communications needs. The OEMA conference was the prefect venue for our
display booth and to provide information about the rebuilding of ARESOK
that our volunteers have achieved.  At the booth we also highlights the
ARESOK state plan, as well as several occasions where ARESOK responded to
communications to fill communication gaps.

This was a convent venue to reach most of Oklahoma’s EMs at one event.
Maning the booth during the three days of the conference allowed Brian
Gnad, KB5TSI Tulsa Area District Emergency Coordinator, Ben Joplin,
WB5SYT, and Larry Holden, KC5KLM Rapid Response Team Leader supporting the
Tulsa Chapter of the American Red Cross to talk with, network and inform
EMs from all over Oklahoma.

Many then EMs and conference attendees complemented the professional
appearance of ARESOK volunteers at the conference and as they were also
seen on recent responses to communications needs during this summer’s
flooding in NE Oklahoma. The clearly displayed ARES photo ID, distinct
response T-shirts (royal blue T-shirt with five-inch white ARES logo over
left chest, with Radio Communications in large white letters across
shoulders on back - see http://tulsahamradio.org/ARES/aresshirts.htm),
kaki pants and work boots were recognized and well received. Their
professional demeanor, appearance, the level of training and experience
that many of our volunteers have helped overcome the apprehension some EMs
have when working with volunteers.

Almost every EM attending the conference to include Albert Ashwood, who is
the Director Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and president of
the National Emergency Management Association visited the ARESOK display
booth and spoke with ARESOK volunteers. Ashwood and Conklin spoke for some
time on the important role amateur radio has in any emergency manager’s
communications plan. Ashwood encouraged ARESOK to continue their efforts
to network with and inform EMs from throughout the state.

Communications in disaster response and having a sold interoperability and
back up plans was mentioned by several of the conference speakers.

There were several presentations about the May 4, 2007, Greensburg,
Kansas, EF5 tornado. Daniel Hay, Operations Section Chief for the Kansas
Division of Emergency Management, spoke on the response to that disaster.
Hay commented that more than 95 precent of the community was destroyed by
the massive tornado as well as all of the emergency responders’ equipment.
All of the response to the disaster had to come from outside of Kiowa
County and communications among responders was very difficult in the early
hours and days of the disaster.

Dr. Sujeet Shenoi of the University of Tulsa gave a very interesting
presentation about critical infrastructure protection. Shenoi stressed to
the emergency managers the venerability of telephone and internet systems
and that the lack of communications in an disaster will cause further
complications to the disaster.

Several of the EMs expressed the desire to learn more about ARESOK and how
to help build a program in their counties. ARESOK leadership will be
working hard in the future with EMs to do just that. Our goal is to have
ARESOK strong in all 77 counties in Oklahoma.  If you would like more
information about ARESOK or would like to register as a volunteer visit
the website www.ARESOK.org.

Other guest speakers were Gary Jones, FEMA Region VI Deputy Regional
Administrator, and Michael Brown, former FEMA Director.