I don't think these exercises are rare at all. I think that hams committing to
what it takes to be actively included and then doing the job are what is rare.
Sometimes we sound like Rodney Dangerfield. " I don't get no respect. " We
have had a relationship with EMA since the mid 70's.
The relationship was so solid when the EMA director was looking for a new
assistant director he wanted a ham in the position, not just a licensed person,
but an active ham. 10 years later, when a new EMA was hired, the assistant got
the new director to get a license. This guy is now really gung ho about hams
and what we can do.

Now I can already hear Rodney out there thinking, but or EMA doesn't give us the
time of day. But this relationship didn't happen overnight. It was built over
years of commitment to improving the local ARES group and making sure that we
did what EMA asked. We have gone from a UHF/VHF station down the hall from
the EOC, to a COMM Room dominiated by amateur radio equipment connected to the
EOC. 4 UHF/VHF stations and 2 HF stations. Why? Because we showed we could
do the job with what we had. Then we had the clout to get what we needed to do
it better.

EMA went to bat for us when we were losing a prime repeater space on a local TV
tower. EMA suggests ham radio to other organizations. EMA shows off its
amateur radio equipment and operators.

A Certification process will help, but it is not a magic bullet. It will help
you get your foot in the door, but you still have to perform.
Hams can do the job, many groups are providing emergency communications for big
and small emergencies.

Great to those that are, great to those working on establishing those
relationships.




---- N4AOF <N4AOF@...> wrote:
> Absolutely excellent, Ron, but I think you would have to agree that such
> exercises are even more rare than actual communications emergencies.
>
> ==========================================
>
> Sorry you missed the big region 5 exercise put on by Ky Office of
> Homeland Security on April 19th Tom! Amateur radio absolutely ran the
> show in the ice storm scenario. All EOC's activated as did a
> Multi-Agency Coordination Center or MACC. Several mobile command
> vehicles came into service such as the one owned by the regional
> WMD/Haz-Mat/ Bio response team which was designed and built by hams. It
> carries everything from public safety and sat phone communications to
> amateur radio, fax and satellite internet connection. Several hospitals
> also had amateur radio activated in their facility command centers.
> Communications were conducted by better than 90% amateur radio personnel
> on all the frequencies and modes used. Aside from handling real world
> events during the exercise, the E-911 Centers stayed clear out of it and
> let the hams do the job.
>
> As a side note, amateur radio operators in Ky Region five have never had
> a full blown Katrina sized response, ever. Aside from community and
> regional exercises and real SkyWarn weather nets in severe weather
> operations, these folks have had little chance at anything huge. One
> county's hams, in the past notorious for not getting involved regularly,
> even put on a good show and have decided to get more involved on a
> regular basis now.
>
> End result: Facilities and governments very impressed and many even
> going to the trouble to allow (even to purchase!) fixed amateur radio
> gear where none ever permanently was before. Mission accomplished. Just
> being involved at any level can and will help make a difference.
>
> We as amateur radio operators don't need a "disaster of the week", just
> people who stay in the loop.
>
> 73,
> Ron Dodson, KA4MAP
> Former SEC Ky
>
>
>
>
> http://www.nrcev.org
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>