[MDC-EC] Maryland-DC Section FSD-96 SEC Report

[Steve Beckman]

Monthly Section Emergency Coordinator Report to ARRL Headquarters
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ARRL Section: Maryland-DC               Month:   August         Year: 2011
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AMATEUR RADIO EMERGENCY SERVICE
Total number of ARES members: 634
Change since last month: -3

Number of DECs/ECs reporting this month: 8
Number of ARES nets active: 42
Number with NTS liaison: 7

Calls of DECs/ECs reporting: WR3F, N3SEO, K3UEZ, WB3KAS, N3QHC, KB3FMJ, 
KB3LJB, and N3SB.

Number of drills, tests and training sessions this month: 19
Person hours: 163

Number of public service events this month: 2
Person hours: 90

Number of emergency operations this month: 9
Person hours: 1094

Total number of ARES operations this month: 30
Total Person hours: 1347

Comments:

Howard County: ARES responded to the earthquake of August 23 by activating 
our 2 meter emergency net approximately 30 minutes after the quake; from 
approximately 1420 local time until 1530, when it was determined that the 
county had suffered no substantial damage or injuries, and the Office of 
Emergency Management did not feel a need to activate RACES. Numerous county 
hams checked into the net to provide situation reports and inform net 
control that they were available if needed. Howard County OEM chose to 
activate RACES on August 27th during the passage of Hurricane Irene through 
our area. 19 hams were used to cover the county fire stations and EOC for 
an 18 hour period which ended at 1400 on August 28th. The purpose of the 
activation was to provide backup communications for Fire and Rescue units 
should the County's 800 MHz system fail. We were also charged with taking 
in information from hams reporting downed trees, power lines, flooding, 
etc. and providing reports to a statewide net maintained by the Maryland 
Emergency Management Agency. Participating operators were N0GEH, KB3PSD, 
W8LYJ, W1TRT, W5IDA, KB3RXM, WR3F, KB3VCV, N3QW, K3UOD, W3BXS, W8AJR, 
N3HOX, KC3EV, KB3VDY, W0NQW, N3LDC, W4VQA, and KF3O.

Anne Arundel County: ARES provided communications for Annapolis Emergency 
Management during an evacuation drill. Members supporting the Annapolis 
Exercise: K3TED, N3HKJ, N3WOF, N3HPZ, N8MOY, and N3SEO. Members providing 
communications between the EOC and Annapolis High School Shelter during 
Hurricane Irene: KA2JAI, KB3CPV, KD5CCB, K3TED, N3SEO, KB3VAQ, N3WOF, W3NI, 
K3YLW, WM3O, N3GT, and N3HKJ.

Prince Georges County: August 13-14, participated in the MDC QSO Party in 
the back yard of WB3KAS/KA3AHI. This was a combined QSO Party and a joint 
training session with Charles County Amateur Radio Club. Attendees from 
PRGE ARES were: KA3AHI, N3ADF, N3JBX, N3XJK, NX3SS, W3WFM, WA3YTK, 
WB2IFS/3, WB3KAS. From CCARC, were: AA3WS/xyl, (AA3WS deployed to Iraq) 
KB3GHI, KB3HCG, KB3KOW + unlicensed son, KB3UYZ, N2OMC, N3YWZ. August 20: 
Held an RMS Express Training Class at the county EOC. Attendees were K3IVR, 
KB3EFH, KB3NJK, N3ADF, N3WSG, NX3SS, WA3YTK, WB3KAS. Emphasis was on the 
peer to-peer feature of the program in preparation for the October Capital 
Shield Exercise. August 22 at 1358, the ground shook!! Activated an 
emergency net and resource net in lieu of the weekly training net on the 
repeater. Personnel were deployed to county EOC to stand-by for possible 
wider deployment. August 26: N3ADF, KB3EFH, WA3YTK, N3JBX, and WB3KAS 
repaired the 80m dipole at the EOC in preparation for the impending 
hurricane, Irene. KB3IIE, N3ADF and WB3KAS attended the county's 
pre-meeting with all county department heads bracing for the impending 
storm. August 27: KB3IIE was called by PRGE OEM to activate ARES/RACES. EOC 
staffed by KB3IIE the NX3SS. Bunker Hill VFD and Brandywine VFD were opened 
as shelters and staffed by KB3NJK and WB3KAS/KA3AHI respectively. EOC 
operated on generator and battery power for several hours after a tree fell 
across utility lines. Shelters secured by 0900 the following day (Sunday) 
and operators were told to stand down.

Calvert County: Tropical Storm Irene summary: Major highways blocked by 
trees and down power lines for at least 5 days. There were 54 roads 
blocked. Residents in Drum Point could not enter or leave community for 4 
hours because of down tree. County Government opened 3 shelters. One 
shelter allowed pets. EOC was not staffed or shelters by CALV ARES since 
radios are not functional at EOC. With no one at EOC to report to CALV 
RACES did not activate. CALV RO had tree fall on house and two vehicles. 
Several communities without electricity up to 6 days. K3CAL inoperative 
because of no electrical power to building and no backup power. Repeater 
Committee meeting in September about this. Comms held on Repeater simplex 
and at 28.350 MHz. Grinder pumps (waste pumps) inoperative for 6 days in 
Chesapeake Beach. Town placed 16 port-a-potties near homes in area to 
share. Town opened Northeast Community Center for water and showers. Many 
communities and homes operate on wells, which were inoperative because of 
no electricity. County open shower facilities to citizens after four days. 
Public Service Announcements from County Government did not get to many 
citizens since so many homes had no electric or cable TV for several days. 
These announcements were sent to local cable channel within the County. No 
wired home telephone service for 5 days in several communities. No cell 
phone coverage for 5 days in some communities. County open places for 
citizens to charge cell phone batteries after 4 days. Down trees block 
roads made for getting around difficult. Many roads closed for trees or 
power lines being down or ready to fall. Safeway & Giant Foods open in 
limited capacity day after storm. Limited electric ON in Dunkirk stores. No 
ice to be found. Batteries size 'C" & "D" could not found anywhere. Drum 
Point EOC, a served agency of CALV ARES, reported County switchboard closed 
Monday, August 28 and reported of 911 not working at least one time on 
Monday, August 28. Six weather reports sent directly to National Hurricane 
Center in Miami, Florida via CALV ARES STATIONS on HF. Several Stations 
monitored Hurricane Irene as it approached & passed Maryland. Amateur Radio 
was the only method of communications available after structured 
communications was inoperative up to 5+ days in parts of the following 
communities; Chesapeake Beach, Huntingtown, Prince Frederick, Lusby, Drum 
Point and Solomons.

Garrett County: Bill Shomo (KB3FMJ) reviewed using amateur radio during 
hurricane events. The Garret County ARES group will be providing 
communications and safety support for the Savageman Triathlon which will be 
held at the Deep Creek Lake State park the weekend of September 17th. We 
are in need of a few more volunteers with VHF radio. For more details see 
www.savagemantri.org. If you are interested please email Bill Shomo at 
kb3fmj at arrl.net. The Garrett County ARES (GCARES) monthly meeting location 
is held at the Garrett County Southern Rescue Squad located on route 135 
east of Oakland Maryland. The next meeting will be Monday September 12th at 
7:00 PM. We will be reviewing final preparations for the Savageman Race. 
The GCARES net is held weekly on Sunday evenings at 8:00 PM on the 146.805, 
dup PL 123 and is linked to the WAN and Target Link Repeater Systems. All 
traffic is FM voice.

Cecil County: Very busy month this month. We provided communications 
support at the North East Maryland Triathlon held in North East, Maryland 
on August 14. In spite of the rain, 16 hams showed up to support the event 
and I ended up releasing 6 because of the changed route. We also provided 
backup communications to the Cecil and Harford Counties' EOCs during 
Hurricane Irene on August 27 and 28. K3CF went to the Cecil EOC and KX3B 
went to the Rising Sun High School, the only activated shelter in Cecil 
County. W3YR supported the Harford EOC by his presence at a shelter in 
Harford County.
The Cecil County ARES group holds a weekly net every Sunday evening at 2000 
local on the WA3SFJ repeaters (146.850- PL 107.2, 449.825- PL 167.9, and 
53.830- PL 94.8). Primary will be the 2-meter repeater. All within earshot 
of the repeaters are invited to join in regardless of ARES membership. 
Following the net we have a Swap Shop "net" where hams are invited to list 
their ham-radio-related items for sale or trade.

Carroll County: ARES members provided backup communications for the EOC, 
Winters Mill High School Shelter, and Carroll Lutheran Village during 
Hurricane Irene. Participants included N3TOT, NB3B, WO3L, KB3WAV, KB3VWK, 
WX3B, KE3FK, N3YIM, KB3RAZ, W1GMB, WA3OSC, W3CTF, KB3KJP, KA3PTU, KB3TVC, 
NS3X, N3WM, W3VL, and NY3A. VHF FM Voice, 10M SSB Voice, and 2m MT-63 
Digital modes were used.

Signature: Steve Beckman
Call sign: N3SB
Email: n3sb at qis.net

Please send to ARRL HQ, 225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111 by 10th of the month
FSD-96 (1-04)