A.     Federal Communications Commission Rules and Regulations, Part 97 subpart E, section 97.407 addresses ARES/RACES

    B.     FEMA Civil Preparedness Guide (CPG) 1-15, dated March 1991, titled: Guidance for Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service

    C.     RACES Plan, State of Washington Department of Emergency Management

    D.     Okanogan County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, Emergency Support Function  2, Communications and Warning.

V.     ORGANIZATION:

    A.     Emergency Coordinator (EC)/Races Office (RO) - Per CPG 1-15, local Emergency Management Directors (or designated representative/emergency coordinator) appoints, in writing, a reliable amateur radio operator to serve as the Races Officer. The Emergency Coordinator (for ARES) and Races Officer (for Races) are hereafter simply called the "Emergency Coordinator (EC)", coordinates the overall program of the organization. The EC will appoint Assistant Emergency Coordinator(s) (AEC).

    B.     During actual emergency exercises and missions, the two-person team concept will be utilized. Teams have been tentatively assigned to the County EOCs; however members may be reassigned to any location depending on the situation.

    C.     To become a member of the Okanogan RACES/ARES Team, an individual will fill out an EMD-024, Emergency Working Registration Card and submit it to the EC. Upon approval by the EC, the registration card will be forwarded to the Department of Emergency Management and an Okanogan County ARES/RACES identification badge will be issued.

Note: All applicants are subject to a background check conducted by the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office.

VI.     CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS

    A.     All agencies and organizations will utilize the principles of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) and specifically the policies and procedures in the Incident Command System (ICS) for response.

    B.     Notification:

            1. All amateur operators should tune to the primary frequency (145.45, Repeater or alternate 3.985 HF to receive information and instruction during times of emergency. Each ARES/RACES member is expected to have a basic awareness of events taking place that might result in an emergency or disaster. This could include a mass casualty event, flood, and wildfire, etc.    

            2. Should the need arise; the County DEM/EM may request the use of available volunteer communications equipment and personnel by contacting the EC.

    C.     Activation:

            1. The EC will contact AEC(s) to determine what resources are available.

            2. Upon activation, the EC or AEC will initiate coordination net on the frequency established in the VHF/UHF band plan and assign and dispatch amateurs to provide backup communication.

            3. Flexibility and net discipline are key factors in successfully providing effective communications. All amateurs entering the net should not transmit unless they are responding to a request from the net control operator. Tactical call signs are to be established for all assigned stations.

            4. Amateur radio operators should be prepared to support the following tasks/missions at the local levels:

a. Provide back-up emergency direction and control communications     between the county EOC and other local EOC’s or incident command posts. (i.e., local hospitals, Public Health, and Red Cross Shelters, staging areas, and base camps, etc).

b. Emergency communications for shelters, emergency worker centers, sheriff and police departments, 9-1-1 centers, fire departments/districts, and other requirements designated by the local emergency management office.

        5. HF Activities:  Designated HF stations will be contacted by the AEC to provide liaison and traffic handling with section nets as well as other emergency nets. The AEC will notify the section level official responsible for HF operations which stations represent ARES/RACES.

Subsequent to a disaster, HF stations will provide emergency and priority traffic in and out of the area. If time permits, one way health and welfare (H&W) messages out of the area may be provided. Incoming H&W will be coordinated through the AEC.

        6. Message traffic should be sent and received using the message form in attachment #3, Message Form.

        7. Should additional amateur radio resources be needed for tasks/missions, the EC will contact adjourning counties to exhaust all local resources. If local resources have been exhausted, then the EC will contact the County EOC who will in turn contact State EOC to request additional resources/equipment.

        8. This plan recognizes that amateur radio, primarily through ARES organizations/operators, will continue to support requirements for American Red Cross, hospitals, the business community, other non-government agencies, and the general public.

    D. Warning, Alert & Response Levels The EC/AEC will develop and maintain phone trees to alert their group members in the event of an emergency. They should also work with local repeater owners to establish emergency alerting procedures.

    E. Deployment of Personnel

The EC will usually be the liaison with the agency served and coordinates the alerting and deployment of personnel. Upon arrival at the assigned location ARES/RACES members should immediately identify themselves to the person in charge or the contact person provided by the EC or Net Control. Operations will be established as soon as possible for passing formal written traffic. In most instances 2 operators will be assigned to each location to provide relief and backup equipment.

    F. Regional Support