|
Clark
County Amateur Radio Club |
|
|||||
Emergency
Preparedness Information |
|||||||
|
CLARK
COUNTY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS There are over 700,000 FCC licensed hams in the
US. Of the total, over 2000 are
licensed here in Clark County. All of these
‘hams’ are a valuable resource during time of disasters. As former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate has
stated, “you don’t need amateur radio operators very often but when you
need them you REALLY need them!”
About 300 amateurs belong to the Clark County Amateur Radio Club (CCARC). In addition to monthly meetings with presentations on many aspects of the hobby, the club members focus on public service events such as walks, runs, parades and such. In times of disaster, they can be a valuable resource to collect information on what is happening around the county that the first responders are not aware of. Many of these hams are equipped to operate under emergency conditions such as without commercial power and so forth.
Many other amateur radio operators are members of
the several volunteer organizations in Clark County that offer to help out in
times of disaster. The Clark County
list is further down this webpage. If you See something… Say something Remember, if you see something suspicious, please
say something. If the suspicious activity is in-progress, or has evidence of
a crime please report it to 9-1-1 immediately.
Ham Radio Operators wanting to report
“Emergency” Situation information
To report emergencies that you observe that need
immediate fire, police/sheriff or medical responder response, call 9-1-1.
Ham Radio Operators wanting to submit Visual Situation Reports (VSRs) through the CCARC EYEWARN net, click here.
Is it an Emergency or a Disaster? An emergency is an urgent need for help
that can be handled by the normal emergency response services. A call to 9-1-1 can get these services
rolling. A disaster is when normal emergency
response services are overwhelmed. When that happens, County Emergency
Managers can use our help in providing situation information observed by
amateur radio operators in, and around, the effected area.. CRESA Recommended Information Feeds Connect to receive
online information: CRESA Blog: One of
the best ways to stay informed day-to-day is to receive emails from the CRESA
Blog. Receive the CRESA Blog via email.
Follow links at CRESA Main Page-Connect at www.cresa911.org . FACEBOOK: Become a
CRESA “Fan” on Facebook at www.facebook.com TWITTER: Follow
CRESA on Twitter. If you don’t have a
“Twitter” account, go to www.twitter.com
and establish one. Then ‘follow’ the following
accounts on your favorite PC software or smartphone/tablet app: @CRESA
will connect you with emergency and disaster related information.
@CRESATALK will connect you with preparedness information. FLASHALERT: Register
to receive emergency information press releases and short emergency
information from public safety agencies via email or pager at http://flashalert.net . This system is used by emergency services
providers, schools, transportation, governments and healthcare facilities to
easily ensure that their information gets to all of the news media providers
at once. You can choose which agencies to follow and receive those same press
alerts directly. You choose the specific agency and then, you input
your email address. You can also choose whether to follow all news or
just the emergency alerts from that agency. Emergency Community
Notification System (ECNS) ECNS is a Clark County targeted out-dial phone-based system which will send a very
targeted message to a small radius in the event of 3 key messages (Evacuate,
Shelter-in-Place, and Help Find a Missing Person). The catch of this system is that it uses only
landline phone numbers. If you have a CELL PHONE or VOIP
Phone, please enter your phone number and address into our
database by visiting the following webpage: http://www.cresa911.org/be-informed/ Volunteer
Programs in Clark County CCARES/RACES: Clark County Amateur Radio Emergency
Services/Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (ARES/RACES) group is called
upon to be used during a disaster when normal communications may be
interrupted or overloaded. The ARES/RACES amateur radio volunteers step up to
bridge the communication gap whenever their services are requested. They may
be stationed at critical locations, such as a hospital, fire station, or mass
care shelter. They relay important information between disaster response
agencies or the Emergency Operations Center.
Volunteers are required to pass an FCC test in order to obtain an
amateur radio license. Active members meet monthly to share technical tips
and discuss drills and exercises. Our local amateur radio group can be found
on the web at http://www.ccareswa.org/. For more information, email ec@ccareswa.org EYEWARN: The Clark Couty EYEWARN radio system is callled upon to gather and provide to local emergency managers 'ground truth' reports for the county to have an accurate picture of what the situation actually is in an emergency or disaster. There is a weekly net for practice and training and simulated events are used to exercise the net. The EYEWARN net can self-activate when the situation warrants. The net is open to all amateur radio operators in the county. For more information, email info@eyewarn.net
CRESA: The Clark Regional Emergency Operations Center, or "EOC", is a central location where local officials meet to coordinate their disaster response and recovery efforts. Police, fire, public works, and other emergency workers continue their work just the same, but the EOC provides them with the additional resources and information they need to protect the community. The EOC organizational structure is modeled after the Incident Command System, a predetermined organizational structure that is used by almost all public safety agencies, and that is now federally mandated to be used in disaster management.
CERT: In Clark County, Washington, "CERT" stands for Citizen Emergency Response Team. A Citizen Emergency Response Team is a volunteer team of ordinary citizens committed to disaster preparedness and response. They have gone beyond the level of personal preparedness recommended for all citizens. There are three agencies offering CERT classes; East County Fire and Rescue, Vancouver Fire Dept and Clark County Fire District 6. VIPS: The Vancouver Police Department Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS)
program encourages motivated citizens to help VPD maximize existing
resources, enhance public safety and service delivery, and provide new
program opportunities. Volunteers bring skills, abilities, and resources to
help VPD get its important work done effectively. The partnership between
citizens and police supports our multi-faceted crime prevention and community
policing efforts. For more information, email Kelly at Kelly.Cheney@cityofvancouver.us
. NOW: Citizens in the City of Vancouver that are interested in making their
neighborhoods safer are encouraged to apply for the Vancouver Police
Department's volunteer program called "Neighbors On Watch (NOW)."
NOW accepts applications year round and holds training academies several
times per year. All volunteer applicants must successfully pass a screening
process which includes: criminal background investigation, fingerprints,
interviews, and reference check. MRC: Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) units are community-based and function as
a way to locally organize and utilize volunteers who want to donate their
time and expertise to prepare for and respond to emergencies and promote
healthy living throughout the year. MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency
and public health resources. VMC: The Clark County Volunteer Mobilization Center (VMC) is a reception and referral center for communit members who respond to an emergency or disaster. After a disaster or national emergency citizens are moved to action. Disaster response and recover organization may require additional volunteers. The VMC can facilitate the coordination of volunteers to meet the needs of response and recovery organizations through the registration and referral of spontaneous unaffiliated volunteers. Unassigned Amateur Radio operators that want to augment the CCARES group or perform other related communication services should report to the VMC for service. ARC: The American Red Cross exists to provide compassionate care to those in need. Our network of generous donors, volunteers and employees share a mission of preventing and relieving suffering, here at home and around the world, through five key service areas: 1) Disaster Relief, 2) Supporting America’s Military Families, 3) Lifesaving Blood, 4) Health and Safety Services and 5) International Services. There are many ways you can volunteer with us in your local community. Search now for opportunities to volunteer - we are always looking for people with various backgrounds, talents, and skill levels. TIP: The Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) a national voluntary nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that those who are emotionally traumatized in emergency situations receive the assistance they need. To accomplish that goal, well-trained citizen volunteers are called to emergency scenes to assist family members, witnesses, and other bystanders who the emergency system often must leave behind. Search and Rescue: When a search and rescue call comes into the 9-1-1 center, the Sheriff's Office may request activation of search and rescue (SAR) resources. The CRESA Duty Officer notifies the appropriate teams depending on the type of call. There are ground searchers, air-scenting and tracking/trailing dog teams, dive teams and Civil Air Patrol. SAR team members are trained to locate missing persons and to search for evidence in criminal investigations. Dive teams are also called out on possible drowning or other underwater emergency calls. “Be
Prepared!” |
|
|||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
The Clark County Amateur Radio Club, Providing Community Service
Contact us today and join us at a meeting! updated 11/09/2020 gjt |