[HIham] Notice of April 1 Tsunami Exercise

[Ron Hashiro]

Hawaii Amateur Radio Operators



This year, a state-wide tsunami exercise is scheduled for the morning of 
Friday, April 1.  Civil Defense and other agencies throughout the state 
will exercise their preparation and alert procedures.  Amateur radio 
operators are invited to participate in a simulation of the alert 
process by way of nets at 11:30 and 11:45 am.

Background

On the morning of Friday, April 1, emergency management agencies in 
Hawaii will simulate the alert process for a tsunami event.  The 
handling of relief and recovery from a tsunami will be combined into the 
relief and recovery phases of the annual hurricane exercise Makani 
Pahili scheduled for mid-May.

The overall scenario is that the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has 
detected an exercise tsunami mid-morning, and originates a simulated 
alert.  Receiving agencies further the activation process.  The timing 
of the simulated activation of the first tsunami siren warning 
co-incides with the regular 11:45 am monthly siren test.

Amateur Radio Action Plan

(1) Phone Tree Alert

Key amateur radio operators receives alerts from the emergency 
management agencies they serve, and cross notifies and alerts other 
amateurs in emergency management agencies via the established RACES, 
ARES and Healthcomm amateur radio phone tree.

(2) Alert Check-in Net

A amateur radio net will be simulated prior to the sounding of the 
sirens.  The net at 11:30 am will receive check-ins, simulating the 
initial coordination at the start of the event.  The nets will be 
operational on:

(a) the State RACES VHF network 147.02, 147.04, 147.06
(b) the Oahu Civil Defense RACES repeater system 146.64, 146.76, 146.88, 
146.98
(c) 40 meter 7.088.

Follow instructions from net control on the check-in.  The check-in 
report format for the 11:30 am net is:

a)  Call sign
b)  Agency served during an emergency
c)  Town or city location

(3) Siren Test Net

A second net will start at 11:45 am.  The siren test net will receive
reports on the functioning of the sirens.  In addition to the above
frequencies, the siren test net and reports will be received on the
Healthcomm frequency 145.47-.  Health Comm members should check in on 
the new Healthcomm frequency 145.47- prepared to report the status of 
their neighborhood siren as well. The frequencies are:

(a) the State RACES VHF network 147.02, 147.04, 147.06
(b) the Oahu Civil Defense RACES repeater system 146.64, 146.76, 146.88, 
146.98
(c) 40 meter 7.088
(d) Healthcomm frequency 145.47-

The check-in format for the 11:45 am net is:

a)  Call sign
b)  Location (Preferred Oahu coordinates are the page and coordinates
     of Bryant Map.  Preferred Neighbor Island coordinates are
     landmarks or cross-street locations.
c)  No, One, two or three sirens audible.

If the sirens remain on after the normal 45 second alert period, check
back in and report the malfunction to net control.

Summary of timeline - Aprl 1

*  mid-morning:  Simulated tsunami event
*  mid-morning:  Simulated PTWC alert
*  mid-morning:  RACES and ARES amateur radio phone tree
*  11:30 am        Simulated Alert Net
*  11:45 am        Monthly Siren Test Net