[WIham] Update for the Bank of America - Chicago Marathon Comm Team

[Jerry Martin]

We have had pretty a good response from pockets within the surrounding
areas, and we wanted to brief everyone on the few opportunities that still
remain. 

 

We have received great comments regarding the signup page which was found to
be difficult to use and may have caused some difficulty in signing up. We
have eliminated the paperwork, and simplified the process to make signing up
quick and easy.

 

Amateur radio operators are still needed to participate in all areas of this
important health and safety role. We are actively recruiting amateur radio
operators who have experience with public service events and emergency
communications. You must be able to work well under pressure, and be able to
multi-task in a very public setting. You must supply your own dual band
mobile radios (35 - 50 watts), external antenna, and electric power to
operate for 8+ hours.

 

The Bank of America - Chicago Marathon is a 26.2 mile event to be held on
Sunday, October 11, 2009. The course location will be in downtown Chicago,
with the route passing through some of the most exciting and vibrant
neighborhoods in the city. The start and finish lines are collocated in
Grant Park. A link to the course map can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/pw9afd 

 

One thing many groups did like, is to have your radio group or club "adopt"
one of twenty one Medical Aid Stations. This would only take the commitment
of three hams. That way, you would have first crack at it again next year
(and future years), and would lock-in your group for participation in future
years.

 

Here are the most recent members of the Chicago Marathon Comm Team to date:

 

First           Last            City                    Call
Group affiliation

Dennis             Ash                  Chicago                        N9KSD
CFMC

Richard            Baum                Cary                             KE2K
Motorola Ham Club

Paul                  Brenner            Evanston
KC9JGR            None

Ed                    Burckart           Glenview
N9VTU             NSRC

Matt                Cox                  Geneva
KC9HRH           American Red Cross

Craig                Dieckman          Arlington Heights         KC9HWK
NSRC, Lake Co. RACES, ARRL OES

Michael            Freeman           Buffalo Grove               KC9JBY
None

George             Geotsalitis        Countryside                  NB9R
DARC, FishFar, Cook/Dupage ARES, DuPage Skywarn

Ken                   Hahn                Greendale                     wk9h
Milwaukee County ARES

David                Hartnett          Mundelein                    K9DRH
LCRACES/ARES

Howard            Huntington       Hawthorn Woods          K9KM
ARRL Vice Director, Lake Co RACES

David                Kleckner           Wauconda                    KC9GZB
Lake County RACES/ARES

Michael            Landelius          Bartlett                        KC9TVS
American Red Cross-Fox River Chapter

Eric                  Lorenz             St. Charles
KC9FQV           American Red Cross-Fox River Chapter

Jerry               Martin             Beach Park                   KC9BDA
Lake Co RACES/ARES, MC200 Comm Team

John                McGarey          Kankakee                      K9BYT
KARS-W9AZ

Gerald             Migely             Chicago                        WA9KXZ
CFMC

Leslie               Mutz                Vernon Hills
KC9HHB           RACES, Lake Co.

John S.            Olesinski          Lindenhurst                  KC9QIO
RACES

Rob                  Orr                   Glendale
K9RST             NSRC, American Red Cross

James             Reynolds           Third Lake                   KB9LQH
Lake County RACES

Benjamin          Rock                 WOODSTOCK             WX9TOR
American Red Cross-Fox River Chapter

Tom                  Saballus           Evanston
KC9PHX            North Shore Radio Club

Catherine         Saccany           Evanston                       KC9IQF
North Shore Radio Club

"Red"                Schrum            Lake Villa                     AB9HY
Lake County RACES/ARES

George             Slominski          Highland Park               W9AUM
NSRC, Lake Co. RACES/ARES

Jim                  Spang               Elgin
KC9FBH            American Red Cross, Fox River Chapter

Arthur             Tabor               Lake Villa                     KD9ART
LCRACES

Robert             Wadowski         Melrose Park                KC9NXC


Donald             Whiteman        Northfield                   KK9H
North Shore Radio Club

 

When can we add your name (and group) to this list?

For more information and to sign up, please go to:
www.chicagomarathon.com/HamRadioVolunteers  and follow the links.

 

Important logistics update: 

- The City of Chicago Office of Emergency Management (OEM), who staffs the
Unified Command Center for this event, is extremely excited about having
experienced hams participating in the Chicago Marathon the first time this
year.

 

- We are encouraging car pooling to the Medical Aid Stations where
practical, but parking will be guaranteed (with credentials provided) near
the medical aid stations. We are still working on a streamlined process to
get the personal credentials to the hams.

 

- Additional non-ham volunteers from St Clements are committed to assist us
with runner drop out logistics at each aid station.

 

- a few additional hams are still needed to help at the EXPO booth at
McCormick Place on Friday and on Saturday. We have an opportunity to have a
presence in the general "information" also. Let's take advantage of this
opportunity to spread the word. Go to the web site link above to sign up for
one of the EXPO shifts.

 

- Final assignments will be made shortly. If you have a preference for a
specific aid station or portion of the course, please let us know. The most
experienced hams must be positioned from Aid Station 12 to 21. This is where
we expect to see a higher number of medical and runner drop out
transportation requests.

 

- The aid station is a 10' x 20' tent that must shelter a doctor, medical
resident, a couple of nurses, maybe a PT and masseuse, a couple cots,
chairs, medical supplies, 2 hams at the communication station, and numerous
citizen volunteers.

 

- Aid stations 6-21 will be brought lunch by the supply wagons.  Aid
stations 1-5 will shut down early enough so the non-ham volunteers will be
bussed back to the finish line. There they can get lunch at the volunteer
hospitality tent.  We would recommend that the hams at those early aid
stations (1-5) bring enough of their own food/drink to keep them going
during the morning until their tactical location is secured.

 

- The Comm Team training will be provided by online documents, a "webinar",
and working with your own "Strike Team Leader". This eliminated the
"mandatory" training session previously outlined.

 

 

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You should consider this the same as a real EmComm deployment, since the
importance and scope are similar to what we have seen in a medium-scale
incident.  The race organizers are giving us a chance, setting high
expectations, and will be watching.  And then consider this, if the City of
Chicago is awarded the 2016 Olympic bid on October 2nd, all eyes worldwide
will be on the Chicago Marathon as a preview of things to come.  If amateur
radio wants a seat at the table- we have it. Let's deliver in the tradition
of which we are so proud.

 

This is a chance for all local hams to put on a really good show to a very
broad local, national and international audience. 

 

73's

Jerry - KC9BDA

Kate - KC9IQF

Rob - K9RST

Craig - KC9HWK

Bank of America - Chicago Marathon Ham Radio Comm Team