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Ham Radio Simulated Emergency Test

October 11, 2009

Recently ham radio operators from all over the United States of America participated in a “Simulated Emergency Test”.  I participated with the Outagamie County Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) group.  It was educational and fun!  I was assisted by the ever lovely Kd8KRS, Jane – my wife! 

The objective of the Simulated Emergency Test (SET) is to teach us all how to work in an organized network of radio communicators under emergency conditions.  When would this be used?  Well – cynics think only after World War III or something.  The more realistic see times for use of such skills on a much more routine basis.  In NE, south and western Wisconsin flooding is a time when we are called into action.  I am also a Skywarn (US Weather Service trained) severe weather spotter (not chaser).  The skills come in handy there.  If a tornado were to hit, then the skills may be requested during the damage assessment phase.  In the south and east these skills are used big time during and after hurricanes. The list goes on, but you probably get the idea.

This particular SET I thought was quite well thought out and organized.  We received an automated activation phone call and e-mail.  This was done by a “mass dialing and e-mailing” service.  Place one call and everyone on the call list is quickly notified.  We also could be notified via ham radio of phone service was out.  We met at Lion’s Park in Appleton outside the organization’s emergency communications trailer.  That is a nice travel trailer outfitted with several ham radios and antennas.  There we were logged in and given our objectives.

Several hams were dispatched to local hospitals to operate ham radios installed as back-up communications devices.  We were dispatched to our garage along with portable emergency antenna, mast, cable, support structure, power supply and ham radio.  We also were given an envelope with instructions to open it upon arrival on scene.

Our specific scenario was to establish communications for a swine flu clinic.  Problems we had to deal with were a person that passed out and stopped breathing.  We lost power.  The local repeater was over used and so we needed to move to other frequencies.  Vaccines did not arrive as anticipated.  People wanted to know how much vaccine we had, etc.. 

Once we arrived at home we quickly assembled our station.  Took about 15 minutes.  We happened to have a desk in the garage which came in handy.  We also grabbed a couple of chairs from the kitchen and settled in.  We opened our envelope to find a series of strips of paper that had been folded, taped and marked with a time.  Our instructions told us to open each message and act accordingly at the time indicated on each strip of paper.  That I thought was a nice touch.

Some of the fun was operating new ham radios and assembling the equipment.  And of course there was the nurse, “Marge Hoolihan” at one of the hospitals…  chuckle…  We had several messages to pass through the ham radio network.

After the event we assembled back at the park for a debriefing.  Lessons were learned.  And then we ate!  Everyone brought a dish to pass.  New friends were made.  Later we went home to warm up.  It was a cold October day to be sitting outside for more than an hour.  Our simulation by the way was for a swine flu clinic site.

I hope that the methodology used for this Simulated Emergency Test may be used by other hams in other parts of the country!

Stay radio active!

Jon Kreski, AB9NN

http://www.Twitter.com/AB9NN

AB9NN-9 on APRS Tracking via http://aprs.fi/?call=AB9NN-9&timerange=86400

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