TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY ARES MEMBERS (OFFICIAL)
ALL ARES AND NON-ARES AMATEURS ANYWHERE (INFORMATION)
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM ARRL DISTRICT 3
EMERGENCY COORDINATOR WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INC.
WOOD COUNTY ARES BULLETIN NR 21.16 DATE: April 18, 2021
SUBJECT: WHERE SHOULD IT GO?
How am I supposed to know, to whom, or where I should direct certain traffic? That will be a question many Amateur Radio operators will ask. In this bulletin, we will be setting some ground work for message (traffic) routing, but only to familiarize us with what types of traffic to look for, and how we might route such traffic. None of the following will limit traffic in any manner.
Wood County Emergency Communications, and other Amateurs are operating in cooperation with ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services), to form a better communications network in the county, and even on a state level. In any major event, we will be utilizing both RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) and ARES, as well as the designated frequencies set forth in the WCEC, RACES, and ARES Emergency Plans. Knowing to whom, or where, to direct traffic should be known by as many operators as possible. As an ARES/RACES operator, we should try to recognize some types of traffic. For instance, say we are serving one of the fire departments and they want to request food or drink for their volunteers. Get out a ARRL RADIOGRAM and write down who is sending the message, to whom it is addressed, their message, and who has requested it. Who should we call or address the message to? This could be a trick question, because the circumstances determine who gets the call.
First of all, needs for such items (food, water, coffee, blankets, shelters, damages assessments, etc.) should be directed to the Red Cross if they are already activated, and an operator is at the Red Cross. If the later two do not pertain, then the traffic should be directed to the radio operator at the EOC (Emergency Operations Center).
In the event the Red Cross has been activated, and there is an operator there, we should switch to the ARES net, call the Net Control Station, and advise the NCS (Net Control Station) that there is traffic for the Red Cross. The NCS should call the Red Cross and advise them to standby for traffic. After the NCS has turned the net over to us, we may make our call to the Red Cross and upon their reply, give them the traffic (message). After the message has been acknowledged, the net should then be turned back over to the NCS.
If the traffic has to be sent to the EOC, go thru the RACES NCS and request, in the same manner, as stated previously. This is just one example of handling traffic messages. No two situations are going to be the same, so there will be variables. Practice handling messages during non-emergency times, and during disaster drills to be more efficient when disaster strikes.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV