Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9 4/26/2017 Contra Costa County CERT Program Unit 9 – FRS Radio Released: 10 January 2016 Rev. 12 August 2011

Community Emergency Response Team Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9 4/26/2017 Community Emergency Response Team Personal safety is ALWAYS the number one priority Work as a team Wear personal protective equipment…gloves, helmet, goggles, N95 mask and boots The CERT goal is to do the Greatest Good for the Greatest Number Hope for the best but plan for the worst Rev. 12 August 2011

Disaster Communications Communications for CERTS Face-To-Face: vocal Within Sight: signs and signals Beyond Sight: runners and two-way radio

Basic CERT Disaster Communications Team CERT Team CERT Incident Command EOC

Sample DISASTER Communications Plan Neighborhood Homes Neighborhood Homes Neighborhood FRS channel FRS Ch. 9 Captains/ CERT Teams Captains/ CERT Teams GMRS repeater GMRS repeater Hams Citizens Professionals EOC County Dispatch Law Fire & Medical Enforcement Rescue & Relief

ABOUT FRS (Family Radio Service) RADIOS (No License Required) Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9 4/26/2017 ABOUT FRS (Family Radio Service) RADIOS (No License Required) Very low power, 1/2 watt ERP Very low cost No license required Personal and business use OK Channels 8-14 are FRS only; 14 total for FRS Channels 15-22 are GMRS only (ok to listen) No external antennas allowed Typical 0.5 - 1 mile communication range Rev. 12 August 2011

FRS/GMRS Radios FRS – Family Radio Service A useful service for neighborhoods and short distances GMRS – General Mobile Radio Service A radio service available on the small handie-talkies; family or operator should be licensed to transmit. Increased capabilities in this service, including repeaters. [Household Licenses at wireless.fcc.gov/uls, $65 for 5 years] GMRS repeaters are in Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda.

SELECTING RADIOS: FRS/GMRS with 22 channels Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9 4/26/2017 SELECTING RADIOS: FRS/GMRS with 22 channels Recommended Model MFG MODEL Motorola MR355 R APPROX. PRICE $79.00 Pair (Amazon, 12/11/2015) Motorola FRS/GMRS MR355R Has capability of contact with GMRS repeaters Supplied with rechargeable batteries; may also use AA alkaline cells. Ignore “mileage” claims. Battery life is more important than transmit power. Rev. 12 August 2011

FRS/GMRS Radio Features & Functions Antenna Off-On/Volume Control Channel Ear Phone Jack Push To Talk Switch Subchannel Ring Tone Monitor/Scan Key Function Down Key Function Up Key Menu Key Speaker/Microphone Motorola Model MR355 R

Front Panel Closeup On- off/ volume Antenna Battery status PTT: Push to talk Channel Sub-channel “All-call” button Channel scan Up Down Menu

Batteries “AA” alkaline cells Rechargeable Rear cover

Contra Costa County CERT - Unit 9 4/26/2017 FRS Channels  Channel Frequency (MHz) Notes     1 462.5625 FRS/GMRS Shared 2 462.5875 FRS/GMRS Shared 3 462.612 FRS/GMRS Shared 4 462.6375 FRS/GMRS Shared 5 462.6625 FRS/GMRS Shared 6 462.6875 FRS/GMRS Shared 7 462.7125 FRS/GMRS Shared 8 467.5625 FRS Only 9 467.5875 FRS Only 10 467.6125 FRS Only 11 467.6375 FRS Only 12 467.6625 FRS Only 13 467.6875 FRS Only 14 467.7125 FRS Only (All channels are “simplex” . Radios transmit and receive on the same frequency.) 1-7 FRS shared with GMRS, no license if low power 8-14 MAXIMUM ½ Watt Low Power - NO LICENSE REQUIRED Rev. 12 August 2011

GMRS Channels Channel Frequency (MHz) Notes 15 462.550 16 462.575 17 462.600 18 462.625 simplex 19 462.650 20 462.675 21 462.700 22 462.725 15R 462.550 input 467.550 16R 462.575 input 467.575 17R 462.600 repeater input 467.600 18R 462.625 input 467.625 19R 462.650 input 467.650 20R 462.675 (Moraga) input 467.675; tone = 77Hz 21R 462.700 (Orinda) input 467.700; tone = 77Hz 22R 462.725 (Lafayette) input 467.725; tone = 77Hz

Selecting a channel - 1 To select a channel: Turn on radio Note channel number in window Press “Menu” once – BRIEFLY Use + and – keys to move up or down from channel shown in window. Stop on selected channel and wait for blinking to stop.

Selecting a channel - 2 Look at small number under channel number; it should be “0” (zero) If it is not, then press “Menu” twice, quickly. The small number will blink. Use + and – keys to move down to “0”. Wait for the blinking to stop. Your radio is now ready for communication.

FRS/GMRS Range FRS/GMRS Range limits GRMS repeater “line of sight”

Using the radio Select a channel – your team leader will tell which to use Test the radio before you venture out Make sure you can communicate with your team It is not a cell-phone To talk; hold radio 2”- 3” from mouth, press “PTT” button To listen; let go of “PTT” button

Communicating Listen! Think what you are going to say before you press the PTT button. Speak clearly, calmly, carefully. Get the message across without a lot of words.

Radio Protocols - I Talking Calling another: Use agreed-upon identifiers “Team 3 this is Team Leader. Over” Wait for response, which should be: “Team leader this is Team 3. Over” Or just “Team 3. Over” Speak in a normal tone of voice, and speak clearly!

Radio Protocols - II You have made contact: exchange questions and answers in brief, clear language understandable to all who may listen NO “10” codes or “11” codes! NO CB jargon! NO slang or ethnic / gender slurs You are conveying important information to people you may neither know nor have worked with in the past

Radio Protocols - III Sample exchange “Team A this is Team Leader -over” “Team A – over” “What is your location? – over” “Corner of Moraga Way and Moraga Road – over” “Check Safeway for damage and injuries – over” “Will check Safeway for damage and injuries.” “Team A out”

Examples of FRS Channel Allocations Ch. 8, 10-14 Neighborhood channels Ch. 9 Emergency messages for relay Message passing between CERT and EOC/hams (Is it a life-threatening emergency?) (Is it a major calamity emergency?)

CERT FRS Communications Non-Disaster FRS Communications Channel allocations: Channels 8 – 14 Sub-channel (PL Tone, Privacy code) as directed by the team leader Remember, all team radios need to be set to the same channel and subchannel

CERT Radio Communications GMRS Repeater Communications Moraga GMRS repeater: Ch. 20R Orinda GMRS repeater: Ch. 21R Lafayette GMRS repeater: Ch. 22R Use these repeaters for out-of-neighborhood communications. Use FRS for in-neighborhood communications. [When you get your new MR355R, we’ll help with programming.]

Unit Summary Standard forms of communication not available, Radio is always available FRS requires no license FRS has short range GMRS requires license, has longer range potential Listen first, then speak clearly, calmly, carefully without using a lot of words Use plain English, no codes All team members must use the same channel

Questions?