[KYHAM] KEN TRAINING for Aug. 19: A Disaster Readiness Survey for You

[Ron Dodson]

As SEC, I am always looking for new sunjects to write about
or searching for good info already produced whose author
will give permission for us to use and benefit from.  A few
weeks back, while surfing the net, I found the Virginia
RACES site.  A good deal of useful and thoughtful material
was available there and I took up correspondence with the
authors to obtain permission for the use of it here. This
first one is a survey they use to assess their readiness
for disaster situations and response.  Having pondered this
myself, I decided to use this rather than try to re-invent
the wheel and thank the authors for allowing our use of this
material. 

No need to share your scores.  Each Ky amateur should use
this as a guide in assessing their own capabilities only. 
In case you wondered how your SEC did, I'll tell you, I
got my DRI of 90 pounts.  See how you do.

Background:
This RACES Member Self-Assessment is based upon the concept
of an Internet message written by James R. "Rick" Sohl, in
March 1997. He has given his permission for its use here.

Purpose:
This self-assessment is a tool for measuring the readiness
of Virginia's RACES operators to provide effective emergency
communications, independent of existing communications
infrastructure.  In order to generate an accurate Disaster
Readiness Index (DRI) to learn from this assessment, it is
vital that you be completely honest in your responses.  A
passing score of 75 is "acceptable" for trainees being aided
by team members to improve.  Active Disaster Response Team
members are expected to maintain a DRI of 90.  How well do
you do?

Assumptions:
Disaster relief organizations are supposed to have trained
members, who are prepared to deal with a disaster.
RACES Disaster Response Team members are presumed to be
trained and prepared, including:

* Basic First Aid, and CPR training
* Basic land navigation, map and compass fundamentals,
outdoor survival skills
* Fire safety, hazardous material and terrorism awareness
* Ability to travel to served agency locations, carry / set
up equipment needed to support their assignment
* Understand that disaster response and recovery is
hazardous and dangerous
* Understand that communication between the disaster site
and surrounding areas is absolutely necessary
* Understand that separate communications are also required
within the affected incident area
* Understand that operational efficiency and team safety
depend upon reliable, efficient communications
* Awareness that no locality is immune from disasters,
therefore:
* Family members are prepared to either evacuate to a safe
location or "shelter in place" and have a "Home Disaster
Kit" accessible with supplies to sustain them for at least
72 hours at home or in a community shelter 
* You have necessary radio equipment, supplies and safety
gear (hard hat, safety glasses, reflective vest, dust mask,
boots, gloves) to travel to a deployment site and operate
for 72 hours until arrival of your relief team.

"So that no community in need of essential communications
goes without."  

Read and carefully consider the following situation
assessment, and respond appropriately to honestly calculate
your Disaster Readiness Index (DRI).

CONSIDER:
Your community has been hit by a disaster.  The following
conditions now exist:

� EAS alert on NOAA weather radio indicates that your
community has activated its Emergency Plan
� On 2 meters, you hear an Operations Net, so you change to
Logistics to listen to the situation brief.
� Electric power is out countywide, 1600 poles are down,
power will not be restored for 72 hours. 
� Landline telephone service is lost to 60% of the
community.
� Countywide "fire watch" is activated with RACES
communicating between neighborhoods and EOC
� Schools, local, state and federal government offices are
closed, except for emergency personnel.
� Only 40% of public safety repeaters are operational. The
rest will be out of service for 72 hours.
� Surviving public safety repeaters have 12 hours of battery
backup and generator fuel for 48 hours.  
� Surviving public safety radio system has marginal mobile
coverage in the most densely populated half of the county,
but is affected by terrain / building attenuation and is
ineffective in outlying areas  
� In-building public safety 2-way portable coverage is
reliable only within 2 miles of the repeater. 
� Public safety trunking is inoperative.  Tactical
communications must be conducted direct unit-to-unit using
only four working out of the 16 channels normally available.
� Public safety services have pre-empted cellular service. 
"Essential" civilian users must wait two hours to get a
line, and then may only use the service for only 3 minutes. 
� Non-public safety radios (transit, schools, public works,
etc.) are reduced to 25% of normal capacity
� Only NOAA weather, broadcast radio and TV stations more
than 40 miles away remain on the air.
� Cable TV system and satellite TV services are out of
service
� All Internet service providers are out of service 
� 25% of fire department, police department and public works
equipment has been destroyed.
� No gasoline or diesel is available from any underground
tanks.  Local government has taken over all above ground
storage tanks for public safety use.  If operationally
necessary to support disaster response and recovery,
assigned RACES drivers may be authorized only minimum
necessary fuel.

Part 1 - Family Disaster Preparedness 

� Do you have 3 days supply of packaged, nonperishable food
for your household right now? 
Give yourself one point for each person / day of
nonperishable food available.		       ______

� How many gallons of safe drinking water do you have in
portable containers right now? 
Take number of gallons divided by number of persons in
household, and enter figure	       ______

� Do you have now: 1) heating, fireplace, wood stove or
space heater and fuel, 2) cooking equipment and supplies,
fireplace, gas/wood stove, grill, 3) sleeping bags or
blankets, 3) extra warm, dry clothes 4) boots, and rain
gear, and 5) flashlight and extra batteries to shelter in
place for 3 days?  Two points each category, if "yes" to all
maximum score ten points!       ______

� If your supplies are stored in your house, they were just
destroyed with the house by the storm. So salvage what you
can, but you must now deduct eight points from your total! 
- ______

� If your evacuation supplies are stored right now in your
car, add 10 points! 	       ______

� If your vehicle fuel tank is over half full, and you have
a 1A/10-BC fire extinguisher, first aid kit, blanket, 1
gallon of water and FM mobile radio 25w or more in your
vehicle now, add 10 points    ______

� If you have changed your smoke detector battery AND
conducted an Exit Drill In the Home within the last 6
months, add 5 points!      ______

Subtotal Part 1 - Family Disaster Preparedness - Max. Score
This Section 35 points______

Part II - Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Equipment
Preparedness 
Any radios or batteries not used/tested/recharged within
the last 7 days are deemed "out of service"

� Do you have a gasoline-powered portable generator to power
your station equipment? 
If so, give yourself one point per kilowatt of generator
capacity (maximum 10 points) 	      ______ 

� How much generator fuel do you have right now? 
Assumptions: fuel (gallons) / fuel consumption rate = hours
@ 50% load, and fuel consumption = kW*0.1 gallon / hour.
(You may include automobile or other fuel tanks only if they
are more than half full now AND you have a way to get the
fuel out). Allow 1 point for each hour that you can operate
your generator.	      ______ 
(If you must run your automobile engine to recharge
batteries, deduct 5 points)	 -    ______

� Deep cycle gel or sealed AGM batteries and cords to
connect to your mobile / base equipment
For each 25 amp/hr of battery tested in equipment use within
the last week + 1 pt. (Max.10) ______

� Dual-band 2 m/440 or 2m/220 mobile, frequency-agile, field
programmable, with 10 memories
per band, capable of CTCSS encode and operation from an
external 12VDC source with unity gain or better portable
/mobile antenna and minimum of 25 watts output at 12 VDC (15
pts.)   ______

� 2 meter FM mobile, frequency-agile, field programmable,
with 10 memories, capable of CTCSS 
encode and operation from an external 12VDC source with
unity gain or better portable /mobile antenna and minimum of
25 watts output at 12 VDC 	(10 pts.)     ______

� Dual-band 2m/440 or 2m/220 HT minimum 2w, frequency-agile,
field programmable, 10 memories
per band, capable of CTCSS encode, with alkaline battery
case and adapter cord enabling operation from external 12VDC
power source, with a unity gain or better antenna.
If this dual-band HT is a spare in addition to your 25w
mobile radio, add  (5 pts.)     ______
      If this HT is your ONLY rig, you may count only:   
(1 point)   ______ 

� 2 meter HT, min. 2w, frequency-agile, field programmable,
10 memories, with alkaline battery case
and adapter cord to enable operation from external 12VDC
source, with unity gain portable antenna
If this 2m HT is a spare in addition to your 25w mobile
radio, you may add  (3 pts.)     ______
If this 2m HT is in addition to a dual-band HT, but you have
no mobile rig add  (1 point)  ______
      If this HT is your ONLY rig, you may count only:	(1
point)   ______ 

� For each amp-hour of HT battery charged / tested in the
last week add 1pt. (Max 10 ) ______
 If all you have is a HT, but you have a "brick amp"?25
watts you may add: (5 pts.)   ______

� Portable 2m-packet equipment 25w or >, separate from the
primary mobile add:(10 pts.) ______

� For each rig not actually tested on-air within the last
week subtract    (-10 pts. / rig)  ______

� For a home station w/outdoor 2m /440 antenna 3dB-gain
elev. 30ft. add (5 pts.)  ______

� For each spare / portable 3dB minimum gain 2m or dual-band
antenna	(3 pts.)    ______

� For each portable mast suitable to elevate a VHF/UHF
antenna at least 15 ft.(3 pts.)   ______

� For mobile and/or portable HF, 50w or > SSB with 
40 + 75 meter antenna(s)	(10 pts.)  ______ 

� If your mobile / portable HF also has 2m capability, add:
(5 pts.)    ______

� For each additional: 1) 50 ft. RG8-X or better coax, 2)
2m, 220 or 440 HT, 3) unity gain VHF/UHF,  40m+75m HF
antenna or 4) 50ah battery capacity above a station total
200ah, (1 pt.) ______

� For "extra" mobile/portable HF 50w or > w/portable 
40 + 75m antennas and battery 80ah or other emergency 
power, which you have inspected / tested within the 
last week add:(10 pts.) ______ 

� For mobile / portable HF 10w SSB but < 50w  with 40 +75
meter antennas (5 pts.)   ______

� For each "extra" mobile/portable 25w VHF/UHF mobile rig
with battery ?30ah or
other emergency power you have inspected / tested within the
last week add: (5 pts.)    ______ 

� For each "extra" laptop + TNC capable of packet operation
from 12VDC add:(5 pts.)  ______

� For each portable PC line printer capable of operation
from 12VDC add:	(5 pts.)	   ______

Subtotal Part 2 - Equipment Preparedness - Max. Score for
This Section 65 points.    ______
Total of Parts 1 and 2 ? 75 "Pass," is deemed "acceptable
for new DRT trainees" 	   ______
A Disaster Readiness Index of 90 is expected within 1 year
to attain/maintain full operational status.
----------------------------

Hope you found this fun and educational as to your 
own readiness level.  While I don't plan to make 
this a mandatory guide for ARES in Ky., I do think it
makes a fine yardstick in measuring preparedness and 
recommend its use informally.

73, 
KA4MAP