[CTSARA] FW: Red Cross Amateur Radio Operators Call for ARCEX-2011 Exercise June 3-4, 2011

Wed May 4 15:18:29 EDT 2011

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Subject: Red Cross Amateur Radio Operators Call for ARCEX-2011 Exercise
June 3-4, 2011
> From: iceink at aol.com
> CC: Ronnie.Tella at CTRedcross.org; steve.woods at ctredcross.org;
> ctes-area1 at ctredcross.org
> Date: Wed, 4 May 2011 13:18:12 -0400
>
> Hello everyone,
>
> If you do not know me, please allow me to introduce myself, my name is
> Frank Cassella, KB1IFX and I am Ronnie Tella's, Director of Disaster
> Services, Area 1, Connecticut, volunteer partner and also I have
> assumed the Technologies Coordinator Lead for Area 1 West. I also
> happen to be the Connecticut Amateur Radio Emergency Services liaison
> coordinator for Stamford and Darien Region 1 West. One of my former
> job responsibilities was the Flight Commander for Cape Canaveral Air
> Force Station and Kennedy Space Center, where-by one of my
> responsibilities then was to insure the safety and security of all of
> the Security Forces and Personnel during Manned or Unmanned Space
> Launches. Presently, I now am the Co-Director of Skating with my wife
> Emily at the Stamford Twin Rinks, Stamford, CT where by we both teach
> young children and adults how to ice skate.
>
> Both Larry Gross and I have coordinated our responsibilities in the
> up-coming, ARCEX-2011, (American Red Cross Exercise Plan) in accordance
> with the American Red Crosses: Connecticut Disaster Readiness Response
> Operations Plan, (CTDROP).
>
> Larry Gross, W1LAG, whom most of you know is the Technologies Lead
> for Area 1 East and Amateur Radio Coordinator for the Bridgeport Areas,
> has asked me to send out this letter due to that he is involvement with
> the Disaster Response relief efforts in Alabama from
> the devastating tornado damage down there in the past several days.
>
> After reading this letter from Larry would you please email me back
> your availability so that I may plan to fulfill the
> listed assignments for Day One and Day Two of the ARCEX-2011 Amateur
> Radio portion of the exercise which begins on June 3, 2011 and will run
> overnight till about noon or later June 4, 2011.
>
> I look forward to meeting with you all for this up coming exercise. If
> you do have a amateur radio license what better way to get involved and
> assist an help out those who need it the most.
>
> If you are interested in more information about Emergency
> Radio Communications I will direct you to the American Radio Relay
> League, (ARRL's) web site where there is a wealth of information about
> EMCOMM, ARES RACES, etc...:
>
> http://www.arrl.org 
>
> and the American Red Cross site for Disaster Volunteer Services and or
> Volunteer Services:
>
> http://www.ctredcross.org 
>
> We would also like to conduct a radio class for those interested in how
> Amateur Radio inter-operates with the American Red Cross using a Net
> Controller, who Directs the Radio Network Portion of the Operations and
> relays information to the Operations Management Officer for Area 1 and
> whom may coordinate relief efforts with the Bridgeport Emergency
> Operations Control Center. Our Field Radio Operators, who relay
> information either from the shelters managers or from the operations
> of the Disaster Assessment Teams out in the field. How all of this
> information is coordinated, collected, documented and is passed on to
> the Operations Officer for the Red Cross Area 1, whom intern
> evaluates, reviews and implements the Disaster Readiness Response
> Operations Plan.
>
> With the current Disaster of Devastation and Destruction going on in
> the southern part of our country from the tornado damages now and to
> the many families that have suffered loss of family members and their
> homes and properties, Now is a good time for you to get involved, learn
> more skills that can make a difference and help out with your local
> community should a disaster befall us. Remember last year Bridgeport
> suffered a tornado damage and prior to that the Nor' Easter Damage to
> our State. We need to be prepared.
>
> Assignments for Day One are: Net Control, Assistant Net Control,
> Logger and or Runner, and Radio Trainees who have not been involved
> with ARC Radio Net Control would love to get the experience. These
> assignments are at the Bridgeport Red Cross radio room, two shifts
> starting at 5PM Friday. We also need radio operators and at the
> Grealdine Johnson School, 475 Lexington Av, Bridgeport, CT 06604 to
> relay Emergency, Priority and or Routine messages from the shelter
> managers back to the Bridgeport Net Control.
>
> Assignments for Day Two are: Net Control, Assistant Net Control,
> Logger and or Runner, and Radio Trainees who have not been involved
> with ARC Radio Net Control would love to get the experience. Two Mobile
> Disaster Assessment Teams with Two Amateur Radio Operators. In our
> Area 1, there may be a need to coordinate with a Amateur Radio Operator
> who is Airborne flying with the Connecticut Civil Air Patrol.
>
> All of the Area 1 Red Cross volunteers should have received an email
> from Steve Woods outlining the exercise called ARCEx2011 that will be
> conducted in early June. Ham operators will play a significant role in
> this exercise since the rules of play indicate that all conventional
> communications (phone, cell) go dead on Friday evening June 3. At that
> point, ham radio operators will be tasked to provide the only means of
> electronic communication between the shelter, Bridgeport chapter house
> and State headquarters in Hartford.
>
> We will have radio operators deployed at the chapter house from
> approximately 5 pm Friday possibly through noon on Saturday. We may
> also need operators at the shelter. Additionally, on Saturday morning
> (approximately 8:00 am until noon) we need operators to provide
> communications from the damage assessment vehicle back to Darien and
> Bridgeport.
>
> I would like to assign teams of two on 3-4 hour shifts at the chapter
> house starting June 3 at 5 pm through noon Saturday. Please let me
> know via email your availability and I will assign you to a time slot.
>
> If anyone would like to familiarize themselves with the chapter radio
> equipment, please contact Frank Casella at iceink at aol.com and he will
> arrange to meet with you for a practice session.
>
> This is another great opportunity to learn the procedures that will be
> employed during an actual emergency and a chance to show Farmington how
> well we can respond. I will be on DR deployment for the next two weeks
> so please contact both Frank and myself with any questions and to
> indicate your availability or lack thereof.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help,
>
> Larry Gross
> ARC Radio Communications
>
>
> [http://presence.mail.aol.com/mailsig/?sn=iceink] [:-)]
> [http://presence.mail.aol.com/mailsig/?sn=iceink] Frank Cassella
> 203 564 6125 Red Cross Cell my personnel cell phone Urgent, Priority or
> Emergency traffic only
>
> Otherwise use my home phone number
> 203 329 3068 Home
>
> or work number
> 203 968 9000 Work dial ext 16 to leave a message or dial 0 of front
> desk ask them to get me