[KYHAM] KEN Training for April 15: Planning Information in A Response

[Ron Dodson]

A few weeks ago, I made a post to our state lists about
obtaining the necessary info essential in properly
meeting the needs of any 'served agency' who asks for
amateur radio operators in a disaster or large scale
emergency.  Several suggested that I expand this a little
more and do a KEN segment on it.  

Whenever anyone gets a request for assistance most of the
time they will get some specific requests up
front from the served agency making the call for aid.  

Sometimes this is not always the case.  Whether it is a
request to an individual ham, a local EC or DEC or even a
message to the Section Emergency Coordinator, we want to
do our best and provide the service required in a
professional manner. To do this, we need certain info.  
Here is a summary of some things to ask for if you did not
get the full "scoop" from the requesting party.

1.  Agency requesting assistance??? (Who are we helping??? 
Is it a local Emergency Management Agency, 
the state EOC and Area/Local offices, American Red Cross,
Salvation Army, Bapt. Brotherhood etc.) 

2. A Point of Contact or "POC" in case we need to contact
them back. Get the Name, title, phone number of the 
requesting official  and (if appropriate) any 
amateur radio frequency(s) they  are using locally.

3. What type of aid is requested? (Manpower only, what type
of equipment, HF/VHF/UHF, MCP capability?  The mission to be
undertaken? Is Special Training required of volunteers?
There is a huge difference from one situation to another and
all hams are not created equal with regard to training,
licensing and physical ability.)  In a recent case, 
it was requested that the hams assisting be 
ARC Damage Assessment trained. It is a waste of 
everyone's time in such a situation to send hams 
either with 'EM' type DA training, no training or only 
trained in EOC Operations or other area not requested.

While we are on that topic... Training in many subject areas 
is available many times throughout the year from 
ARC Chapters across Ky. If you would be willing to assist
ARC with their various duties, TAKE THE TRAINING NOW! 
Whenever it is offered. Same with EM and other
organizations.  If you want to assist them and they 
are having the training made available, TAKE IT! 

4. How much help do they want?  (Saying send 'Some' or 
'a few' can be 2 hams, 8 hams, 25 hams or more!!!)
Get real numbers.  Many times hams will gladly take off from
work to assist in a disaster situation.  In respect of this 
volunteer spirit, we don't need to send 30 if 10 will do. 
In this case, the other 20 could have gone about their 
affairs and waited until tomorrow if they were
needed as relief op's. Likewise, we sure don't want only 4
sent if 20 are needed to deploy and do the job right. 

REMEMBER! SHIFTS OF WORKERS MAY BE NEEDED in large
operations! It is just poor planning to send in a massive
number of people who have nothing to do today and then
tomorrow, everyone has to go back to their 
regular jobs because they wasted today.
This has happened!!!
 
Hams have rushed in on an incident in large numbers at the
first. Many milled around because there was not enough to do
and the next day only a few are willing to return as they
are either disgusted, worn out because they did work 
yesterday or today they had to go back to their job.  
Planned work schedules will eliminate this and make 
everyone's life easier.  

5. To what location do the hams report and at what time. 
Don't forget, Ky has two time zones! It is easy to be an 
hour early or an hour too late!.

6. Any directions to the area or hazards/detours to be
observant of in responding is important for the safety 
and well-being of responders.

Feel free to also ask for any other info you feel
appropriate.

As I stated earlier, we want to be a professional group in
our actions. Adequate information in planning a response 
is essential and is every bit as important as the job done 
on scene.