[MDC-EC] 2012 SET. . .well,sorta

[Jim Montgomery]

Greeting from your newly appointed Maryland-DC Section Emergency Coordinator!
 
I am humbled by the trust the Section Manager, WI3N, has placed in me to "lead the troops" as they say.  Words cannot express how honored I am to be selected for the position.  I will do what it takes to continue to make MDC the best Section in the Division.
 
Well, now. . .what do we do first?  The SET comes to mind quickly.  I have not had enough time in the new position to put together a full blown exercise. . .but I do have something in mind. . .just a little drill on obtaining information.
 
I just heard on the radio that beginning 1 October, the weather guessers will start a long term forecast for heavy rains coming in from the Gulf bumping up with an Arctic clipper from the North producing a gigantic ice and snow Octostorm across much of the Section arriving Thursday night.  We need to be ready for this.  Predictions of downed power lines, loss of Internet and phone lines abound.
 
ECs will canvass their ARES operators for the following information.  Use any method/reflector to get the word out.  Have them provide you with their emergency capabilities and status in yes or no fashion as follows:
 
1.  Backup generator?  y/n?
 
2.  Battery bank backup?
 
3.  Winlink Nodes available to them and which do they favor?
 
4.  Winlink WinMOR capable?  If yes, what HF Gateways do they favor?

5.  Do you do WinMOR Peer-to-Peer?  If so, what bands?
 
ECs will WinMOR the information to me and indicate in the body of the message which HF Gateway you used.  If you cannot send WinMOR, send it to anybody who can and have them send it to me.
 
Place the date and time (doesn't need to be that exact) of the message 'in the body' of the message.  Winlink does not provide that, only the date and time you received the message!!  Bummer.
 
You can start immediately.  You must get the information to me by 1800 Local time Friday October 5.  Hopefully, I will have some kind of report for the Section Convention.  One will be a list in order of received information.
 
I see this as a test of our ability to gather crucial information for a served agency in the shortest amount of time, on somewhat of a short notice.  In a real incident, we'd probably need it in less than 24 hours.
 
As an extra added attraction, I will accept WinMOR Peer-to-Peer traffic on 7075.0 MHz dial frequency.  I will have this available 24/7 until Friday night.  I will acknowledge all Winlink traffic.  Stop by and give it a try.
 
Let's see how many operators (Winlink or not) we can muster up in just a few days.
 
Should be fun.  It's a start.  Next year will be different.
 
Please stop by the Section table at the C.A.R.A Hamfest and introduce yourselves and make yourself known.
 
tnx es 73, de
 
Jim Montgomery
WB3KAS
ARRL MDC SEC