EMCOM Amateur Radio & Beyond Robert L Hollister N7INK Cochise County District Emergency Coordinator / RACES Officer

EMCOMM: Amateur Radio & Beyond Outline Traditional Roles NECP SAFECOM PSCC/SIEC SCIP TICP AIRS DRN COML NIFOG

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES), Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) Salvation Army (SATERN) Skywarn Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Traditional Roles of Amateur Radio Operators

National Traffic System Bicycle Races Coaster Races Marathons Hurricane Watch Net Parade Support Etc. Traditional Roles of Amateur Radio Operators (Cont’d)

Beyond Amateur Radio Amateur Skill Set –Traffic Handling –Organizational Skills Crossover to Public Safety Understanding EmComm Resources

NECP The National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) is a strategic plan that sets goals and identifies key national priorities to enhance governance, planning, technology, training and exercises, and disaster communications capabilities. The NECP provides recommendations, including milestones, to help emergency response providers and relevant government officials make measurable improvements in emergency communications over the next three years.

SAFECOM is a communications program of the Department of Homeland Security. SAFECOM provides research, development, testing and evaluation, guidance, tools, and templates on interoperable communications-related issues to local, tribal, state, and Federal emergency response agencies. The Office of Emergency Communications (OEC) supports SAFECOM’s development of guidance, tools and templates. The Office for Interoperability and Compatibility (OIC) supports SAFECOM-related research, development, testing, evaluation and standards. OEC is managed by the Directorate for National Protection and Programs. OIC is managed by the Science and Technology Directorate.Office of Emergency Communications Interoperability

As an emergency responder-driven program, SAFECOM is working with existing Federal communications initiatives and key emergency response stakeholders to address the need to develop better technologies and processes for the multi-jurisdictional and cross-disciplinary coordination of existing systems and future networks. SAFECOM

PSCC The AZ Public Safety Communications Commission (PSCC) is the state commission responsible to enable real- time, interoperable communications between local, county, state, tribal, and federal public safety organizations in the State of Arizona.

Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC) is a sub-committee of the AZ Public Safety Communications Committee (PSCC) responsible for managing the interoperability spectrum in Arizona. The technical subcommittee of the SIEC will likely be working this year on development of technical policies, standards, and procedures and spectrum management and may work on Communications Asset Survey and Mapping (CASM) activities. The operations subcommittee of the SIEC is working this year on Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Training, Exercise and Outreach activities. SIEC

Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan (SCIP) was a requirement of Section I.C.5 of the 2006 Homeland Security Grant Program which states, “By the end of 2007, each state must develop and adopt a statewide communications interoperability plan. ”It serves as a detailed reference for all public safety officials by describing the status of statewide interoperable radio communications in Arizona. The SCIP documents the specific goals and objectives established to dramatically improve public safety communications within the state. SCIP

The PSCC recognizes the critical need to plan for more than technology in solutions for a statewide interoperable communications system and its supporting operations plan. The PSCC therefore derived the multi-faceted, detailed goals and their associated objectives presented below. All are detailed at length and defined in the SCIP: –Achieve interoperable communications covering 85 percent of the state’s population –Increase interoperability statewide –Increase use of statewide microwave system –Publish user-based standards and guidelines –Create and maintain a scorecard for statewide interoperability –Continue to review and enhance statewide strategies and activities SCIP Goals

–Develop and implement technical alternatives to promote interoperability –Create an outreach program to define and establish interoperability –Develop a current inventory of equipment to define interoperability solutions –Develop and implement statewide operational standards –Identify and secure dedicated funding –Obtain and sustain legislative support –Implement tactical improvements to achieve interoperability –Establish cross-border communications SCIP Goals (Cont’d)

The Tactical Interoperability Communications Plan (TICP) is intended to document the interoperable communications resources available within the designated area, who controls each resource, and what rules of use or operational procedures exist for the activation and deactivation of each resource. TICP

AIRS Arizona Interoperability Radio System Approximately 30 operational Sites Expandable to 40 sites Each Suite consists of: –VHF –UHF –800 MHz

Non Federal Interoperability Channels VHF Low Band VTAC UTAC ITAC (700/800 MHz) Others National Interoperability Field Operations Guide (NIFOG)

The DEMA Radio Network used VHF AZ National Guard frequencies on a shared basis using microwave linking of 11 repeater sites around the state. County EOCs, the Toads, Bullfrog and key state personnel are assigned callsigns for use on this network. DRN South DRN Elden DRN Childs DRN Towers DRN Mule DRN Hualapai DRN Lemmon DRN Telegraph DRN Guthrie DRN Greens DRN Roof DRN

Communications Unit Leader (COML) is the senior communications enabler at an incident site. The COML must be both a technical manager and an operational leader, able to operate communications equipment, teach others in the correct methods of operating communications equipment, install portable and mobile equipment and perform basic troubleshooting and repair of the equipment. The COML is responsible for assessing the available communications resources available to the mission’s Incident Commanders (IC’s), determining which resources are appropriate, requesting the resources and then setting them up. COML

COML (cont’d) The COML is responsible for assessing the available communications resources available to the Incident Commanders (IC’s), determining which resources are appropriate, requesting the resources and then setting them up. The COML may then supervise the operation of the communications networks, including supervising the mission radio operators used at the incident. The scope of communications includes organic systems, as well as other radio systems including public agency, military, telephone systems, public address systems, and to a certain extent performing or supervising repairs to these systems.

The “National Interoperability Field Operations Guide” (NIFOG) is a pocket-sized listing of land mobile radio (LMR) frequencies that are often used in disasters or other incidents where radio interoperability is required, and other information useful to emergency communicators. It is based on the “National Interoperability Frequency Guide”. The NIFOG includes rules and regulations for use of nationwide and other interoperability channels, frequencies and channel names, and other reference material. NIFOG

Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) City Council Meetings Law Enforcement Contacts Emergency Responder Contacts Attend First Responder Classes –First Responder Awareness –First Responder Operations Join the Citizens Corps –Community Emergency Response Teams (C.E.R.T) EMCOMM Amateur Radio & Beyond Recommendations

mergencycommplan/ % pdf EMCOMM Amateur Radio & Beyond Resources

Contact: EMCOMM Amateur Radio & Beyond

Cochise County Assets Cochise County Mobile Communications Unit (MCU) Deployed to Paradise, AZ

4 x 4 Chassis for mobility 7.5 KW Generator Satellite Internet Connectivity Public Service Radios (VHF/UHF/800) Amateur Radios (HF/VHF/UHF) Voice and Digital Capability ACU 1000 Interoperability Suite Two Computers for Map and IT Support Mast Camera for on-scene observation Microwave/Coffee Pot/Refrigerator Cochise County MCU

Cochise County Alternate EOC – “Green Acres” Larson Hall: Large Meeting Hall Morgan Manor: Small Meeting Room Operating Facility: 3 stations Dual 5 KW Generators Power Site 72 Hour Fuel Supply Emergency Water Source (Well w/ Pump)