SECTION 2
Columbia County ARES / RACES Plan
Contents
Section 2 - Columbia County ARES / RACES Plan
Columbia County ARES/RACES is a volunteer organization of FCC licensed Amateur Radio operators whose major purpose is to provide countywide emergency communications. In Columbia County, the ARES/RACES organization is a dual organization. It can operate as Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL); or it can operate as Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under Federal Communication Commission (FCC) rules (Part 97 Subpart E, Section 97.407). Which role the organization takes depends upon the particular emergency or disaster situation as follows:
A. ARES provides emergency communications for non-governmental organizations (public and private) and local governmental agencies in times of “non-declared” emergencies or disasters. Operation is governed by this ARES/RACES plan, which is interfaced with the Columbia County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and the Oregon State RACES Plan. A secondary purpose of ARES is to provide non-emergency, public service, communications for county agencies or other qualified organizations at the discretion of ARES officers.
B. RACES on the other hand, provides emergency communications for governmental agencies only, during officially “declared” emergencies or disasters (usually declared at the county, state, or federal level). Operation is governed by this ARES/RACES plan, the Columbia County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan and the Oregon State Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Plan.
Back-up emergency communications between the State Emergency Coordination center (ECC) and the Columbia County Emergency Coordination Center.
Back-up communications within local jurisdictions.
Warning communications between state and local government agencies.
Back-up emergency communications between a state agency headquarters and its respective district/region/area headquarters. Back-up emergency communications between district/region/area headquarters and field units where communications are limited or nonexistent.
Communications between the state’s ECC, local ECC, and respective designated staging areas and base camps.
Back-up emergency communications between the state’s ECC, FEMA Regional Operations Center (ROC), and the FEMA Disaster Field Office (DFO).
Back-up emergency communications for federal agencies (i.e. US Forest Service, Department of Energy and others), as needed.
Communications support, as needed, for conduct of search and rescue (SAR) operations, damage assessment, or other state and local government assigned tasks such as storm watch, flood watch, etc.
Emergency communications for shelters, emergency worker centers, sheriff and police departments, sheriff/police/fire dispatch centers, 9-1-1 centers, fire departments/districts, and other requirements designated by the local emergency services office.
While operating in a RACES capacity, RACES stations and amateurs registered in the local RACES organization may not communicate with amateurs not operating in a RACES capacity.
Only official governmental communications can be transmitted (as defined in Part 97, Subpart E, S 97.407 of the FCC Rules). Test and drills are permitted only for a maximum of one hour per week.
MISSION STATEMENT
Columbia County ARES/RACES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service / Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) is a volunteer organization of skilled Amateur Radio operators, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and sponsored by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), who provide non-commercial emergency communication services during emergencies and disasters as a public service to Columbia County Emergency and other public and private service agencies in Columbia County, OR.
The purpose of this plan is to provide guidance, establish responsibility, and ensure coordinated operations between Columbia County Emergency Management officials and the ARES/RACES organization during times when there are extraordinary threats to the safety of life and/or property. Maximum benefits from the ARES/RACES organization can be obtained only through careful planning which identifies the organizations, agencies, and an individual concerned and assigns a definitive role to each. This plan enables agencies and organizations having emergency responsibilities to include the ARES/RACES organization in local emergency plans and programs.
This plan provides guidance for the Columbia County ARES/RACES organization to support local Emergency Management officials, other local public and private agencies during an emergency. The information in this plan is to be used as a guide. It is not the intent of this plan to limit the actions of an operator who is on site and best able to assess the prevailing conditions. However, since uniformity of procedure leads to general understanding by others about what they should do, utilization of this plan will define the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the organization.
It is intended that this plan interface with the State of Oregon RACES Plan and with the Columbia County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan. In addition, since surrounding counties and Oregon ARES District 1 have adopted plans, interface with those plans will be necessary in some emergency situations. Under these circumstances, this plan should be utilized in a flexible manner to accomplish the most efficient coordination with the plans of others.
The authenticity of all messages communicated via ARES/RACES is the sole responsibility of the originating authority. The validity of such messages shall be determined by the Department of Emergency Services or such other organization being served.
ARES/RACES is organized to provide communications services. Amateur radio operators on ARES or RACES duty are not expected to serve other functions unless specifically stated in the mission assignment, such as weather-watch observations, etc.
Although a radio operator may report conditions as he/she observes them during an emergency, such observations are to be considered those of a layperson and evaluated in that context unless the operator has specific training or certification in that area. It is incumbent upon the operator to advise concerning his/her expertise (or lack of it) when reporting such conditions.
Columbia County ARES/RACES members must be registered with the county Department of Emergency Services as a State Emergency Worker before they may participate in any exercise or mission activated by Columbia County Department of Emergency Services.
This plan is subject to revisions as required.
The Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL), through its field organization and Statement of
Understanding (SOU) or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) dated August 3, 1984; SOU with the American Red Cross dated
April 1, 1994; MOU Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) – International, Inc dated October 24, 1996; MOU with the National Communications System (NCS) dated June 2, 1983; SOU with The Salvation Army revised January 1996; MOU with National Weather Service (NWS) dated January 19, 1988.
1. Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations, Part 97 subpart E, section 97.407 address RACES.
2. FEMA Civil Preparedness Guide (CPG) 1-15, dated March 1991, titled: Guidance for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service.
The Columbia County ARES/RACES organization will consist of a management team, four geographical teams, and several special-function teams as needed.
Emergency Coordinator / RACES Officer (EC/RO). The Emergency Coordinator (for ARES) and RACES Officer (for RACES), hereafter simply called the Emergency Coordinator (EC), coordinates the overall program of the organization.
Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Operations (AEC/RO – Operations) provides overall coordination of the Net Control Team and establishes a Coordination Net for training exercises and missions.
Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Administration (AEC/RO – Administration) coordinates the recruitment of new members; keeps a record of all meetings, exercises and missions; maintains a database of membership and issues ARES/RACES ID badges.
Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Liaison (AEC/RO – Liaison) acts as liaison with government and emergency service agencies.
Assistant Emergency Coordinator for Logistics (AEC/RO – Logistics) provides logistical and technical support to all teams in the areas of radio equipment, packet equipment, computers, antennas, power supplies, propagation and frequency planning.
The county will be divided into four (4) geographical regions and a leader assigned to each. The purpose of these teams is to establish a working relationship among each of the team members and with the various agencies; they are assigned to serve, within that region. During actual emergency exercises and missions, the team organization will be used wherever possible; however, members may be assigned to any location depending on the situation. This team concept should enhance recruitment and training, as well as the development of equipment resources. The six regions are as follows:
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Net Control – Under the leadership of the AEC for Operations, provides net control functions for the weekly ARES/RACES net, and the coordination net during exercises and disasters.
County Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) – Supports the County ECC with backup emergency communications.
Red Cross – Supports the local chapter of the American Red Cross with backup emergency communications.
Columbia County Community Organizations Active in Disaster (CC-COAD) supports the Columbia County COAD facilitators with backup communications for coordinating the functions of the various participating agencies.
Membership in Columbia County ARES/RACES is by application to the Emergency Coordinator (EC). Applicant must complete both a county “Volunteer Emergency Worker Registration Form” and a Columbia County ARES/RACES “Registration/Update Form” and therefore be registered in both ARES and RACES. Upon approval by the Columbia Emergency Management, the applicant will be issued an Emergency Worker Registration number and ID badge for working as RACES. Upon approval by the Emergency Coordinator (EC), a Columbia County ARES/RACES ID badge will be issued for working as ARES. The ARES ID badge will be required when working with other public and private service agencies. Some agencies may require a separate badge and/or registration when in their facilities. Other agencies, such as the Red Cross, will accept the ARES ID badge in lieu of their Red Cross ID. All applicants are subject to a background check conducted by the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.
Section 3 of the “Columbia County AREA/RACES Operations & Training Manual” discusses the current procedure for alerting and mobilizing members and provides several examples. Below is a summary of this procedure.
Examples of ARES communication services are:
Communication between Columbia County and other governmental agencies.
Emergency communications between county officials and other officials.
Intercommunications among county, private, and public service organizations such as the American Red Cross, hospitals, medical teams, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), and religious sponsored service organizations.
Health and welfare communications.
Other, undefined, public service emergency communications when appropriate.