Notes from the EC - Year End edition for 2020
This year has proved to be a challenge due to the pandemic. But thanks to my team, we have met this challenge and still accomplished much in 2020. Here are just some of the things my team and I have accomplished:
- - We have successfully moved from in-person meetings to virtual meetings using Google Meet. Until the COVID-19 issue is resolved, we will continue to meet virtually.
- - Thanks to Randy NØOEM and Alan KIØEP, we now have great training at our monthly meetings and now have monthly training exercises. Check out our Training section of this web site for full details.
- - We anticipate having some role in the COVID-19 vaccination program. These details are not yet available.
- - We are actively preparing for the time that we will be needed during the pandemic, no matter what the role.
- - Through the hard work of Zeke, KØXK our Finance Section Chief, we are now an ARRL Affiliated Club! We are one of the few ARES organizations in Colorado that have this honor.
- - We are one of the first ARES districts in the state to have developed a Position Task Book. This Task Book is specific to Arapahoe County ARES and gives the members the requirements for training and improvement
- - Arapahoe County ARES has developed membership requirements. We value each member's participation but we also know that not everyone can give time to the district.
- + Active - Members who have taken the 4 required ICS courses as well as participated in monthly meetings, training exercises and nets
- + Reserve - Members who still want to participate but because of other obligations cannot fully participate
- + Youth - We have a number of young members who want to participate but because of their age, cannot participate unless accompanied by a parent
- + Emeritus - There are members who have been active members for at least 5 years but now cannot fully participate but still which to be members.
- - I feel that disasters do not have borders and as such, we need to know how to work with other districts. Because of this, I have invited other districts to join us during our monthly meetings and participate in our monthly exercises. This make us unique in the Colorado Section.
- - For the first time, we have kept all of our members from 2020. I thank all 34 of you for continuing to provide service to our community.
- - All members have signed up for the Colorado Volunteer Mobilizer (CVM) program. This will give us a state identifiable identification card in addition to our Arapahoe County ARES identification card.
For those radio operators that are not currently connected to an ARES group, please consider joining Arapahoe County ARES. We strive to be the best emergency communications group in the state.
73,
Peter Meer, KCØVAQ
Emergency Coordinator
Arapahoe County ARES
Notes From the EC - Fall 2020 Edition
It has been a very busy number of months. Our training team (Randy, NØOEM and Alan, KIØEP) have done an outstanding job. We have had a training event/meeting every month since June. The list of those follows:
Arapahoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (Region 1 District 2) Exercise & Training Report
June – October 2020
June – Training reference County COVID19 response/planning and Emergency Management Training by Arapahoe County Office of Emergency Management (OEM)
Exercise on Summer Weather NET – Tested email/SMS alert system, stations calling in reports, filling spreadsheets to document reports (First exercise for 2020).
July – Training on Damage Assessment & Rapid Assessment Reporting process
Exercise on Summer Weather NET including Damage Assessment/Rapid Assessment reporting by stations, filling out new spreadsheets to document reports, utilizing different radio frequencies.
August – Training on Shelter Communications process
Exercise on Summer Weather NET to include Damage Assessment/Rapid Assessment and deploying members to (3) Shelter Sites. Worked with Denver ARES who provided Amercan Red Cross shelter injects to be reported and relayed to other NETs. Ran dual NETs during the exercise.
September – Training on National Traffic System (NTS) & Hospital/Medical Communications process. Review/update on the National Incident Management System (NIMS) & Incident Command System ICS and ICS Forms. Prepare for the October Simulated Emergency Test.
October – Training on Yaesu Fusion Concepts and Communications process
Exercise – Participated in the annual American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Simulated Emergency Test along with Colorado State ARES and regional ARES districts – utilizing all forms of radio communications and Winlink Express, sending/relaying messages to Arapahoe County Office of Emergency Management (OEM), other ARES groups, and the American Red Cross.
Additional – Participated in the May American Red Cross Exercise with Denver ARES (Region 1, District 4). Preparing to participate in November American Red Cross emergency communications. Exercise and training on Digita Mobile Radio (DMR).
Additionally, the Leadership Team has developed membership requirements for both Active and Reserve members. That document can be found in the new member package of our web-site.
As the Emergency Coordinator, it remains my goal to provide our served agencies with highly qualified operators. This is accomplished by a vigorous training/education program.
For those licensees that have not committed to another group, I welcome you to consider Arapahoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Services. Should you have any questions about our mission, our training, or our goals, please send me an email (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).
73
Peter Meer, KCØVAQ
Emergency Coordinator
Arapahoe County ARES
Notes From the EC - 2020 Spring Edition
We ensured ACARES members were trained and updated on the ICS programs: (100, 200, 700 and 800) for 2020 and continue to take other courses to learn new skill sets so we can offer support to our served agencies.
This year, with the COVID issues, require that ACARES conduct business through the use of Google Meets for our monthly meetings. The Training and Planning committee have developed an exercise and training agenda for the remainder of the year. A recap of the training schedule follows. However, the following training is subject to change as conditions may require.
June 20th, 0900 to 1200, 19 ACARES members participated in Operation Down Pour, which was a simulated weather exercise. Five members took to the road to evaluate simulated flooding, car accidents and downed power lines. As EC, I greatly appreciated a number of folks who volunteered to be net control or our scribe. A number of our members, having never done either, stepped up to handle the task and did an excellent job. This is a great example of how to improve your skills during training.
July will have Operation Looking Glass. ACARES and other ARES members will be invited to participate.
August has a Shelter exercise -Operation Bug out. ACARES and other ARES members will be invited to participate.
September will have a Medical/Hospital Exercise, ACARES member only
October there is a SET Exercise, based on PODS. Operation Get Well will include both ACARES and other ARES members.
November there is a winter weather exercise, Operation Snowman, ACARES members only.
December-Overview of AAR/Debriefs of exercises we conducted in 2020 and plan for 2021
We will continue to strive for excellence in emergency communication.
73
Peter Meer
KC0VAQ
EC ACARES