Genesee County Amateur Radio Emergency Service, Inc.

 GCARES

GCARES OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

DUTY ASSIGNMENTS:  1st Responders — ARES Operators

                 1.  Report to the Net Control Station (NCS) for assignment:  If requested by NCS answer

                       Questions as to your availability, training, equipment, ARES member, where you have

                       Been assigned in the past.

 

                 2.  Give your approx. ETA to the assigned location.

 

                 3.  Make your transmissions short and to the point.

 

                 4.  Report to NCS when in route and when you arrive on station.

 

FIRE COORDINATION

 

FIRE SCENE— this is usually the first position filled by 1st responders.

 

1. Contact NCS for information as to fire location and best way to enter the scene. 

2. If police are blocking entrance to the scene, inform the officer whom you are (ARES) and where you are to report.  Show ARES ID.  If officer denies entry, do not argue with him/her.  Report to NCS that you are having difficulty entering the scene and have NCS contact the police authorities for proper clearance. 

3. Once on scene, report to the Command Trailer and then to the fire IC [give your name and tell him/her you are with ARES].  Inform the IC whom we have in position [Mundy 2, County 911, Staging, Hospitals, etc.]

4. 1st ARES operator on scene will stay with IC until ARES EC or Lead Operator arrives.

                                  Command Trailer

                                  Staging

                                  Canteen, etc.

 

MUNDY TOWNSHIP #2 — This position is usually the second position to be filled by an ARES operator.  This station is the Command Center for Fire Coordinators.  (usually fire chiefs or assistant fire chiefs). 

 

1. This is a critical position for ARES operators due to the large volume of information normally passed from the fire scene to the coordinators at the station.

2. All ARES operators must sign in and out on the ARES Operators Sign-In Sheet located at the ARES station notebook.

3. Use ARES Log Sheet to log information in and out of your station.

4. Report to the Radio Room.  Turn on the equipment and check in with NCS.

5. Check in with the coordinators:  Let them know who you are and where we have ARES operators assigned.

6. Maintain contact with the coordinators, as needed. 

 

COUNTY 911 (Central Dispatch)

This station is crucial to passing information to the Fire Coordinators stationed at the fire dispatch section at Genesee County 911. 

 

1. Upon arrival:  Knock on the door for entry to the dispatch area.  Show your ARES ID.

2. All ARES operators must sign in and out on the ARES Operator Sign In Sheet located at the ARES station in the notebook.

3. Use ARES Log Sheet to log information in and out of your station.

4. Turn on power to radios.  Check in with NCS.  Listen for traffic to pass along the net for in-room fire coordinators.  Find how who and where the ARES operators are and who the IC is and other fire coordinators on scene.

5. Inform the ‘local’ coordinators of the location of ARES operators, so they can no whom they can communicate with.

6. Pass along directed information to these coordinators as traffic comes in for them, or in cases where you feel they might keep them informed of events at the fire scene.

7. Use written communication where possible.  The use of ‘sticky notes’ is a good way to pass along information and assure they won’t be lost on the floor.

8. Pass along directed communications from the coordinators to whom they wish to contact.  (Write it down so that you can refer back to it). 

9. Always go through your Net Control Station (NCS) which follows standard protocol.

 

Log all transmissions that you hear with time, event, and who make the call.  Use the ARES Log Sheet provided or a lined notepad.  This will allow you to keep informed of all activities, in case you need to refer back, or in case you are called upon to take over as NCS duties.

 

CITY 911

 

1. This station is located at the Flint City Police Department.  Enter at the rear door.  Push the buzzer (at the inside door to the right of the rear entrance door) and announce who you are so that they can let you in.

2. Radio is located in the hallway outside of the 911 dispatch room.

3. Turn radio on and check in with NCS.

4. Pass along directed communications, as directed. 

 

SKYWARN

 

1. Listen to the ARES Emergency Repeater (147.260) and report your location and availability to NCS.

2. Upon NWS activation, a Lead Operator shall be responsible for bringing up the appropriate MACRO.  If no lead operator is on the air, any control operator can bring up the MACRO with the following procedures:

                 A.  Ask if there is a Lead Operator on the air?

                 B.  If no response, bring up the appropriate MACRO.

                 C.  Within 10 minutes, call the EC on his/her cell phone and leave message on voice mail as

                       To when the MACRO was brought up, your call, and why it was activated.  This also

                       Applies to the Lead Operator bringing up the MACRO. 

3. Stand by for assignments to a specific location.

4. Go to your assigned location and monitor the sky for all the severe weather criteria.

5. Report:  Strong winds, hail, heavy rains, wall clouds, funnel clouds, and tornado touchdowns.

6. Report only severe weather criteria.  No “blue sky” or “sunshine reports”.

 

 

PUBLIC SERVICE EVENTS

 

This is a good area to work as communicators to get the necessary training (get their feet wet) for other nets such as Skywarn and Fire Coordinators.

 

1. Check into the net and await assignment.