[W1SMH] Want to Play A Game? Hurricane Drill Monday June 21, 7:00PM

[David Bodman]

RACES/ARES Hurricane Drill

June 21, 2004, 7 - 9 p.m.



Scenario:   Hurricane Yolanda is making its way up the coast at a rapid
pace. The East Coast is bracing for a category 3 Hurricane as it is moving
North- Northeast and is just 50 miles offshore of Atlantic City, New Jersey.



Procedure:  The drill will be conducted in 3 stages: beginning (checking in
and reporting preparedness status), middle (at the height of the hurricane),
and end (wrap-up and status reports). Each stage is described in a separate
section below, together with the expectations for RACES and ARES
participants.



Notes:  Primary communication will be on the frequency listed as primary for
your community in the Massachusetts State RACES plan. Get the Massachusetts
State RACES plan at http://www.qsl.net/n1cpe/racesplan.pdf or at
http://n1cpe.dnsalias.net:81/racesplan.pdf .  The drill will also be held on
HF (75 meters likely, 40 meters possible). Stations capable of using packet
are encouraged to do so, particularly with lengthy or summary traffic. Refer
to the RACES plan for details on frequencies being used.



Every message should begin with the words THIS IS A DRILL as part of the
text, and other radio communication pertaining to the scenario should
include this qualification as well.



If the ham operator is working this drill with the representative of his/her
served agency (for example, the local EMA Director), messages should be
signed by that representative's name and title. If the ham operator is
working alone, messages should be signed by the title only (no name) of the
served agency's representative.  Examples:

                   Signed, Jane Doe, EMA Director, Town of Smallville

                   Signed, EMA Director for Smallville



All RACES traffic is addressed to and signed by a government official.


The objective of this drill is to exercise the system, provide practice in
order to improve emergency readiness (for EMA directors and served agencies
as well as hams), and discover opportunities for improvement. Your feedback
after the event is welcome. And your participation is deeply appreciated!


STAGE 1

TO:             Massachusetts EMA Directors, ARES Served Agency
communications coordinators,

                   ARES Members

FROM:       Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

WHEN:      Beginning of exercise (7:00 - 7:15 p.m.)



The National Weather Service in Taunton Massachusetts in conjunction with
the National Hurricane Center in Miami Florida has issued a Hurricane
Warning for all coastal areas of Massachusetts. The National Weather Service
in Taunton Massachusetts has issued an Inland High Wind Warning for
Hurricane Force Winds for all interior areas of Massachusetts. A Tornado
Watch is in effect for the entire state of Massachusetts. A Flash Flood
Watch for rivers and streams is also in effect for the entire state of
Massachusetts. Hurricane Yolanda is presently located near latitude 40.1
North, longitude 74.0 West, or a little less than 100 miles South-Southwest
of Long Island, New York. Hurricane Yolanda is moving toward the
North-Northeast at 25 MPH with winds up to 125 MPH, and the present movement
is expected to continue for the next several hours with the center passing
over Narragansett Bay into Southeast Massachusetts.



With the center passing over Southeast Massachusetts, heavy rains of 6-10"
with higher amounts are expected with significant river and stream flooding
expected across Western, Central and Northeast Massachusetts. This includes
Berkshire County. The strongest sustained straight-line winds and wind
damage with possible structural damage is expected across Eastern
Massachusetts with 2-6" of rain expected with locally higher amounts in
interior areas. Lower rainfall amounts are expected across the South Coast
of Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands but this area has the greatest
threat of significant wind damage affecting structures along with a 12-18
foot coastal storm surge across south and east facing beaches. Severe
Weather with pockets of wind damage from microbursts, macrobursts and
isolated tornadoes is possible anywhere in the state of Massachusetts.



RACES Stations:  Now please go to your EOC and report to your MEMA Region
Headquarters:

                   (1) your community

                   (2) status of your EOC

                   (3) number of shelters currently open

This message should be formatted in NTS format per the Massachusetts RACES
Plan.



ARES Stations:  Please report now to your Section Emergency Coordinator or
designee. Use an NTS Format message to report:

                   (1) your ARES appointment (if any)

                   (2) what frequency you will monitor during this
activation/exercise

                   (3) what served agency you are supporting (if any)



Training Opportunity:  Emergency Managers and Served Agencies should use
this time to discuss their present course of action. Discussions should
include reviewing your plans, checklists, and resources. For ARES groups,
this would mean having go-kits prepared for shelter and other public safety
communications.



STAGE 2



TO:             Massachusetts EMA Directors, ARES Served Agency
communications coordinators,

                   ARES Members

FROM:       Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

WHEN:      Middle of exercise (7:45 - 8:15 p.m.)



The full force of Hurricane Yolanda has hit Massachusetts with winds of 115
to 130 miles per hour with higher gusts.  Governor Romney has declared a
State of Emergency for Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Emergency
Management Agency has been fully activated. There are widespread commercial
power and telephone outages.  Torrential downpours have caused localized
flooding, and coastal flooding will be a serious threat with the approach of
high tide. In the central and western parts of the state, funnel clouds have
been sighted. Wind damage has downed trees and power lines in pockets across
numerous communities in this area. Many downed electrical wires are alive
and dangerous.



Emergency Management Directors /RACES Stations: You now have the option to
pick another local action or happening to go along with Hurricane Yolanda.
This incident may be large or small and may be directly or indirectly
related to the hurricane itself. Please pick one of the following:



HAZMAT Spill

Fire

Public safety communication outage needing full ham radio backup

Tornado

River or stream flooding

Coastal storm surge flooding

Microburst or macroburst wind damage

Medical emergency at a shelter

Other (feel free to be creative)



After you decide, notify your MEMA Region Headquarters of the type of
emergency/disaster. Use Massachusetts RACES Radiogram format to report the
type of event and (if appropriate given the scenario you select) the number
of residences affected. Optional: initiate other traffic that might be
expected in an actual emergency situation. For example, contact the EMA
Director of a neighboring town to request additional shelter supplies.



ARES Stations:  Report your personal availability to staff a Shelter for
individuals affected by Hurricane Yolanda or other events that may happen as
a result of the storm to your Section Emergency Coordinator or designee in
the form of an NTS Message.



Training Opportunity: Emergency Management Directors should be using this
time to combat the effects of Hurricane Yolanda. The Emergency Management
Directors should also be coordinating the local effects of any other
emergency/disaster put into the exercise working with ARES groups as
required.



ARES groups backing up RACES and Emergency Management, supporting SKYWARN
efforts, Red Cross, Salvation Army and other agencies can work based on the
scenarios picked and combat the issues that these specific scenarios would
cause. This would include insuring solid radio communication and being able
to communicate shelter needs and issues.


STAGE 3



TO:             Massachusetts EMA Directors, ARES Served Agency
communications coordinators,

                   ARES Members

FROM:       Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency

WHEN:      End of exercise (8:45 - 9:00 p.m.)

The National Weather Service has canceled all warnings and watches.
Hurricane Yolanda is no longer a threat to Massachusetts residents. Recovery
missions have already begun in numerous communities.



RACES Stations:  Now please report to your MEMA Region Headquarters in
Massachusetts RACES Radiogram format the following information:

                   (1) your community

                   (2) number of homes destroyed

                   (3) number of homes damaged

                   (4) any additional status reports as needed.



ARES Stations:   Please report to your SEC or DEC in NTS Format:

                   (1) the name of your served agency, if any

                   (2) whether it is activated in the aftermath of Hurricane
Yolanda

Training Opportunity:  Emergency Management Directors and other served
agencies should use this time for recovery discussions. Please stress damage
assessment and documentation. Discussion should highlight Federal/State
Disaster Declaration reimbursements.


ARES Groups should report their activity to their local EC, DEC, or SEC
where appropriate and communicate any issues that they had during the event.
The report should include what went well and what went poorly and ways to
improve what did not go as expected.